Sweet Tooth satisfies a niche

By: Debbie Origho/Staff Writer

Posted: 4/8/07

After being a pastry chef at hotels like the Marriott, Hyatt Capitol and Hilton International for six years, Steve Thomas saw an opportunity to go into business for himself. "A lot of places were reducing staff and just buying products instead of labor," Thomas said. "I saw a need for fresh, good pastries and desserts."

So Thomas, 44, found some property on Ritchie Road in Capitol Heights, Md., completed a business plan, and opened Sweet Tooth Cakes and Pastries. Since it opened in June 1996, Sweet Tooth has added a location in Upper Marlboro, Md.

But that was the easy part. Thomas said that getting organized and finding staff that was qualified enough to supply the quality that he wanted in his pastries were the two main problems that he encountered.

"I didn't just want people who were just looking for a job to make money. I wanted professionals who would take my place of business seriously."

One potential problem was solved when Thomas found a building that had previously been a bakery in which to start his business. Aside from already having all the necessary equipment, such as a kitchen and refrigerated display cases, the building had another advantage - additional customers.

"Old customers came by looking for the old bakery or thinking that it was under new management," Thomas said. "We had to show them that we were a brand new business worth trying."

Today, Thomas enjoys the flexibility and freedom of being an entrepreneur. However, he admits that he doesn't love every facet of his job. He said that he dislikes some of the financial aspects of being an entrepreneur.

"When we went to open up another store, I went to the bank and to try get a loan financed and was denied," Thomas said. "When that happened we exhausted everything we had just to start up the second shop, and in return we couldn't get all of the inventory we needed. We were struggling, so you can see how a financial hardship can take a toil on your spirit as an entrepreneur."

However, Thomas said that quitting was never an option - not because he wanted to own and operate his own business, but because he saw a need for it. He is disheartened when people from his community feel like they have to go somewhere else in order to get the best.

"People want options and they want luxury items that they can't get anywhere else," Thomas said. "Sometimes there is a stigma that we as African Americans feel like we have to go elsewhere in order to get upscale items, yet I hope that we are discrediting that myth. We have people who have come in and don't know what a tart is, but we are educating them, and I think that's important."