See Shana Cakes new location in Wetmore and when deliveries will begin to Topeka

When Topeka’s only exclusively gluten-and-allergen-free bakery closed its doors last month, it was just a transition to a new way of doing business.

Shana Cakes, previously located at 435 S. Kansas Avenue, moved its operations in late June to Wetmore, where the business will continue to make Shana Cakes products and deliver them to Topeka and the surrounding areas.

“This is a transition, not an end,” said co-owner Jodi Scott. “On both our end, and on our customers’ end, it requires a little more planning.”

Commute to Topeka and road construction took a toll

Scott said the reason for the move was geographical. She and her husband, co-owner Justin Parks, were making the commute from Nemaha County to their retail space in downtown Topeka daily. Ongoing road construction made the commute increasingly difficult, requiring multiple detours along the way.

They considered several options, including selling the business, converting it to a food truck operation, renting a building closer to home and even closing completely.

“We’ve been back and forth for a year,” said Scott.

Ultimately, it was the Shana Cakes customers that kept them open. Scott said food allergies and sensitivities frequently cause kids in particular to be left out of such social rituals as sharing birthday treats with classmates. The alternative snack provided is too often fruit, which is not the same as enjoying a cupcake with the entire class.

“There is something magical about kiddos coming in and looking at their parent for acknowledgement," Scott said, "and the parent says they can have whatever they want. The kid’s eyes light up, and just knowing what a huge moment it is for that kid.”

Scott and Parks are the third owners of Shana Cakes. They purchased the business in November 2020 after witnessing the appreciation customers showed for having an alternative bakery option in Topeka.

“The original owner went back to teaching, and the second owner told us that no one was probably going to buy it, and it would close," Scott said. "We didn’t want to see that happen.”

Closing of Wetmore school led to business opportunity

For the past three and a half years, Shana Cakes has been a family effort, with the couple's daughters and Scott’s parents pitching in to run the business. When their oldest daughter needed to take a step back from her cake-decorating responsibilities, Parks jumped in to take over, even though he had never decorated a cake.

“This business takes a lot of time,” said Scott.

Moving Shana Cakes closer to their home will cut down on the amount of time that the couple spend in their vehicles. It will also bring renewed purpose to a building that is near and dear to Scott's heart; the former Wetmore Academic Center.

Despite community efforts to keep it open, the Wetmore school closed at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year.

“The Wetmore community is magical,” said Scott. “Once a school closes in a small town, that’s a game changer for a community. Schools in small communities keep the community glued together. When the schools go, you see houses and the community diminish.”

Scott and Parks heard rumblings that five families in Wetmore planned to buy the Wetmore Attendance Center building and create a space for entrepreneurial pursuits within the community.

“It was the solution we had been trying to figure out,” Scott said.

Separate HVAC system lets Shana Cakes avoid cross contamination

Their new space has its own separate HVAC system, a feature that is important to a bakery striving for complete non-cross contamination.

Although someone who has never experienced a food allergy may not understand the need for such stringent measures, Scott said such precautions are necessary to ensure that everyone can enjoy Shana Cakes products without the risk of becoming ill or having a medical emergency.

“It’s frustrating to me that there’s such a misconception that if someone asks for gluten-free, they’re being ‘extra,’” said Scott. “They’re not being extra. The last thing they want to do is make a big deal, but it can make them very sick.”

Scott said the separate HVAC system allows Shana Cakes to maintain the allergy-free atmosphere their customers have come to expect and depend on.

“It’s difficult to understand the amount of small dust particles that come from dumping flour from the sack into the bowl,” she said. “It gets in the mixer head, in the ventilation system, and causes cross contamination.”

Although Scott and Parks began talking with building owners in January, the space in Wetmore wasn’t ready until mid-year. They also wanted to get through Mother’s Day and graduation season at the Topeka location to avoid a disruption in service for those customers who have come to depend on their allergen-free products for special celebrations.

Shana Cakes expects to begin Topeka deliveries by July 18

Shana Cakes is currently limiting deliveries to custom-order items, such as wedding cakes, but they hope to be up and running for regular deliveries to Topeka by July 18. While they no longer have a retail location, Scott said the move to Wetmore will allow Shana Cakes to serve more customers over a larger swath of northeast Kansas.

The bakery has secured retail business partnerships in several Kansas cities, with the possibility for more businesses to offer Shana Cakes products in the future. Scott said she estimates customers will be able to purchase Shana Cakes from Topeka retailers sometime this fall.

Along with delivering to Topeka each Thursday, they will also deliver product to Junction City, Lawrence and Leavenworth on alternating weeks.

“Some of our customers from Manhattan and Junction City were making the hour commute to Topeka, and now we will be able to bring Shana Cakes to them.”

Scott said they will miss having a permanent location in the capital city and seeing their Topeka customers regularly. For now, Shana Cakes looks forward to serving them by delivering call-ahead orders. Scott and Parks have the same phone number, so customers can reach them easily.

Anyone wishing to place an order needs to have it in by Monday morning of the week they need delivery on Thursday.

When to visit Shana Cakes at its grand opening in Wetmore

While customers can no longer order a single cupcake, Scott said they can purchase a variety 6-pack of any combination of Shana Cakes’ everyday flavors and have them delivered to their home, office or other convenient Topeka meeting spot.

Shana Cakes devotees can visit Scott and Parks at their new location.

They will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 10 at 321 6th St., Wetmore.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: See Shana Cakes new location in Wetmore and when deliveries will begin to Topeka