Taren Kinebrew started baking with her grandmother when she was a child. Her love of baking has always been a hobby, but in the next few weeks, Kinebrew will be opening a storefront for
Sweet Petit Desserts at 1426 Race St. in
Over-the-Rhine.
“I wanted to be in a community where people support small businesses,” Kinebrew says. “I like the walking traffic and diversity of Over-the-Rhine, and knew that Sweet Petit Desserts would fit in with what I know Cincinnati and the neighborhood to be.”
The 753-square-foot space will have a kitchen and two cases of bite-sized desserts for sale. The cases are moveable so Kinebrew can host events with the help of Christina Christian, owner of
Something Chic, an event planning business. The two have teamed up in the past to plan baby showers, wedding receptions and fundraisers.
Sweet Petit will have a very artsy feel, with vibrant colors from the desserts down to the flooring, Kinebrew says.
Kinebrew hasn’t always done desserts. She was in the Army National Guard for seven years and has a degree in information systems and a minor in accounting. But she has always loved making sweets for friends and family, and her own business seemed like the next logical step. She started Sweet Petit out of her home in 2009.
Last fall, Kinebrew applied to be part of
Bad Girl Ventures, and she won a $25,000 loan and $5,000 in marketing and website assistance from the program. Bad Girl helped her with forming a financial plan and official business plan.
Sweet Petit will offer red velvet mini cupcakes, bite-sized brownies, cheesecakes, key lime bars, lemon squares, pie tartlets, cake pops, cookies and desserts in cups—think chocolate mousse. Prices will range from $2 per dessert to $9.50 for a half dozen or $18 for a dozen. More expensive items like pie tartlets and chocolate dipped strawberries will be $24 per dozen.
Sweet Petit will have three paid employees, including Kinebrew. She also hopes to bring on interns so they can learn how to run a business and hone their pastry skills.
By Caitlin Koenig
Follow Caitlin on Twitter
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