Retired founder gives new owners high marks for their plans for the O’Fallon bakery

Another mother-daughter duo has kept the lattes hot, the scones melt-in-your-mouth, and the soups gluten-free as the new owners of Sweet Katie Bee’s Sustainable Bakery Café in downtown O’Fallon.

When longtime customers Jeana Santos and her daughter, Calysa Davinroy, found out that Kate and Beth Hendrix were selling their business, they decided this would be a good move for their families. They took over in July.

The Hendrix mother-and-daughter duo opened Sweet Katie Bee’s at 212 E. State St. in 2012, then expanded to 131 E. 1st Street , Suite B, in 2019. They offered breakfast and lunch, a full coffee bar, bakery case, and food that was about 95% prepared in house from scratch.

That doesn’t change. Kate Hendrix said she gave the new owners all her recipes, and Santos said they are using them.

“Our family is blessed to continue offering what customers have grown to love at Sweet Katie Bee’s,” Santos said. “I’m a people person. It’s natural for me. I bake all the time. The people make this work special, and getting to know them has been fun. We feel really positive about this.”

Customer favorites like Pesto Chicken Wrap, with herb-roasted chicken, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, spinach, and pesto cream sauce in a spinach tortilla, Lemon Dill Tuna on croissant and Tuscan Salad are available at lunch, and Crème Brulee French Toast and Hashbrown Crusted Quiches (broccoli cheddar or chicken sausage) at breakfast.

“We are working with Kate and Beth, and they have been mentoring us,” Santos said.

Hendrix said she is thrilled with how things worked out.

“Jeana and Calysa are lovely people. We have known them for many years, and Beth and I feel they are a great fit for continuing Katie Bee’s,” she said.

Hendrix, who noted she is enjoying retirement, said she and Beth were touched by the warm wishes they received when news of the transition broke.

“Beth and I had such an outpouring of good thoughts and compliments, it was heartwarming and humbling,” she said. “Retirement has been great so far. I’ve been able to reconnect with family and friends, experience down time, and plan travel. Highly recommend.”

The Santos family are as committed as the Hendrix’s were to providing options for those on restricted and special diets, because that’s how they originally met.

In 2006, the Hendrix’s found out a family member’s allergies meant a dietary change, and when they opened the café, they provided gluten-free and vegan choices.

“None of our soups contained gluten, we kept vegan cheese and allergy desserts every day, and since our foods were made from scratch, we could tell you what was in them,” Hendrix said.

Being vegetarians for over 20 years, they gravitated toward plant-based food anyway, and they added Keto, grain-free and sugar-free desserts.

In fact, Santos has made a career out of health and wellness. She has been working in metabolic health coaching and essential oil education for years. She moved to the area in 1998, and she and her husband, Rui, have two children, Kendyl and Kalysa.

Calysa has allergies, so she understands food restrictions. They discovered Katie Bee’s when they were one of the few places offering gluten-free options. The Hendrix’s helped them navigate this new dietary challenge with tips and answering questions.

Davinroy said she always wanted to be a small business owner, and working with her mom has presented the opportunity.

“We have always been close. We have a nice situation working together here. It was the right time,” she said.

Davinroy graduated from Althoff Catholic High School in 2014 and Missouri State University in 2018, and worked in corporate recruiting for nearly six years. She and her husband, Josh, have a son, Colsen, who battled leukemia, and has been cancer-free since treatment. That experience also made her more aware of the role food plays in health.

They said they are gratified to be accepted as downtown business owners, and the community has been welcoming. Courage & Grace gave them a decorative sign.

“The O’Fallon community really likes to work together. There is a real camaraderie among the business owners. The city has been very supportive,” Santos said. “Jon Greenstreet (owner of Bike Surgeon and active in Downtown Merchants Group) has been a great guide for us.”

They praised the staff for making the transition smooth, noting their experience and skills.

They have started offering grab ‘n go items, and they hope to add more gluten-free products.

The bakery case is laden with lemon-blueberry scones, cinnamon rolls, gluten-free banana bread loaves, macarons, meringue bundles, chocolate chip cookies, decorated cupcakes and more.

Their dining room seats 30 guests, and their outside tables seat 24. They also offer take-out, catering, and host after-hour events.

“We’re going to keep all the good things, and target smart growth,” Davinroy said. “We have a deep love for this community.”

On Aug. 1, they started a military discount for customers. The O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting there at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Current hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, visit www.sweetkatiebees.com .

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