New Blackwell business hits the "Sweet Spot"

A new business has taken Blackwell by storm thanks to its presence in the community.

The Sweet Spot, 4408 West Doolin Avenue, has already raised money for the Blackwell Youth Center’s programs and improvements. The store was the dream of one woman and her family, and it has come to life.

“My business is a bakery and bistro,” owner Amee Sweeten said. “I love to bake and cook. … It’s a passion for me that is always growing. We offer breads, bagels, cookies, cupcakes, pies and more. We serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have employed my kids, nephew, niece, family friend and a few of their teenagers.

“I’ve also hired a couple of folks here from town that are willing to trust me to give this a shot. We had our hours set, however, after extremely long days and running out of almost everything, we have decided on Wednesday through Saturday 8-8 and Sundays 12-8.”

Sweeten fell in love with the community after moving here in 2021, she said.

“I home-schooled my kids, so we were kind of loners for a while,” she said. “This year, they went to public school, and I had a dream I wanted to build a place for the community to come and hang out – a place where kids are welcome without any drama. Everyone is welcome, old and young. We’re aiming for fun and friendly.”

But how exactly did that come to be?

Sweeten remembered driving by the old building. Some know it as the tried-and-true Blackwell Plainsman, some as the failed Cobb’s offshoot.

“I kept driving by the building, dreaming of what I wanted,” she said. “Then one day, there was a ‘For Rent’ sign. I called it, and the guy decided to take a chance on my dream.

“We’re originally from Wichita, and the number I called had a Wichita area code, so I felt like it was a sign. It took us eight, almost nine, months of scrubbing that place to get to a point where we could walk or move without being covered in grease or icky stuff. We did all the work we could with our friends and family. We hired out the things we couldn’t do.”

Sweeten said she is hopeful for the bakery’s future.

“I pray that everyone likes it,” she said. “I pray it takes off. We have put our life savings into this dream of mine. My husband always believes in me and has faith enough to trust me and my dream. I want this to be a place for everyone. You can come and hang out or have lunch or something sweet with a long-lost friend. Play games and relax or just eat and leave.”

The community, like Sweeten, seems to have faith in the business as well.

“The feedback and responses have been overwhelmingly positive, and we are forever grateful and appreciative,” Sweeten said. “I cry almost every day knowing that, together, we built this amazing place for everyone to enjoy. It brings a huge smile to my soul knowing how capable we are if we try our hardest.

“We’re not rich. In fact, we struggle every day like a lot of other folks. We just don’t give up. ‘No’ wasn’t the answer for me. When I got shot down, I got back up and figured out another way until I finally got a ‘yes.’ My husband always told me when we started his business, ‘We don’t do this to make a million bucks. We do it to make a million happy customers.’ And that statement stands true today with this bakery. Can you imagine seeing a million happy smiling faces? The laughter and the sound of happiness is what the true goal is.”

Sweeten got the building at the end of August. The staff worked in the dark the first two months, carrying buckets of hot water from next door until it was finally safe enough to turn on the utilities.

Nine months later, The Sweet Spot has the aesthetic of a kitschy downtown bakery and restaurant one might find in Wichita’s Old Town or Oklahoma City’s Bricktown.

The menu includes various breakfast meals, lunch sandwiches, dinners and a constantly rotating selection of sweets such as cookies, cakes, pastries and more.

The store can be found on Facebook at The Sweet Spot LLC Bakery & Bistro.

The Sweet Spot offers catering for events and rents the building starting at $350.

“We can’t wait to meet and greet everyone,” Sweeten said. “God bless, and have a wonderful and safe summer. See you at the bakery.”