Introduce Yourself for our readers:
I am Ingrid Graves, Owner of The Sweet Carte LLC. I grew up in a small town in the River Region and reside in Millbrook, AL, where the bakery is also based. I have three wonderful, productive young adult children and one adorable grandson, who all have been very supportive of my dreams of the bakery and are active in helping to build The Sweet Carte’s brand. I am self taught as a baker and cake decorator/designer and learn something new with every cake or dessert.
I am Ingrid Graves, Owner of The Sweet Carte LLC. I grew up in a small town in the River Region and reside in Millbrook, AL, where the bakery is also based. I have three wonderful, productive young adult children and one adorable grandson, who all have been very supportive of my dreams of the bakery and are active in helping to build The Sweet Carte’s brand. I am self taught as a baker and cake decorator/designer and learn something new with every cake or dessert.
What does your company provide and what are your specialties:
The Sweet Carte provides baked goods, both basic and custom designs, for the clients. I specialize in made-to-order cakes, cupcakes and cookies. Various other desserts are also available, determined by season, holidays and customer demand. All custom designs are pre-ordered and prepared to the client’s specifications. Various cookies, cupcakes and other desserts are made available for walk-in purchase each weekend and during special holiday timeframes. As far as I am concerned, there is no one specialty that I have. Every piece of dessert at The Sweet Carte is unique and special. But, the Clients seem to love the Vanilla Buttercream Cake and Red Velvet Cupcakes the most!
How did you come up with your business name
My business name was actually solidified several years ago, long before I opened the storefront. It was the brainchild of what flowed smoothly in my mind and out of my mouth. I wanted a name that would readily relay the type of business, but was also unique in its usage. I wanted people to automatically think “dessert” when they heard the name. I added the “e” at the end of Carte, just for a little flavor.
Why did you start baking
I started baking as a hobby, to try new recipes. It also stemmed from me wanting to buy cakes all the time for my children’s birthdays. I remembered that my mother used to make homemade birthday cakes for me when I was small, so I decided to give it a try. As family and co-workers tasted the desserts most of the time, they began to ask me to prepare certain things for their households, birthdays, etc. With that came more detailed décor, which increased in difficulty as my curiosity grew as to what I could try next.
What made you take the leap into starting your business
I wanted to open a business for years, but the catalyst to take the big jump came after my children were all in college and a big life change happened with my marriage. With an empty nest, I had more time to focus on the opening of a bakery and fulfilling my long-time desires of owning something of my own while doing something I love.
How can our readers find you
The Sweet Carte is located at 2251 Main Street in Millbrook, AL. The public can walk in on Saturdays 10am-5pm, Sundays 1-5pm, and by appointment Monday-Friday. Potential Clients can also email thesweetcarte@gmail.com, or contact me through direct message on Instagram and Facebook.
Anything else you would like for our readers to know
I try my best to give each Client a uniquely personal experience. I want them to feel that they are receiving something special, whether it is one cupcake on a Saturday afternoon or a wedding cake for one of the most important days of their lives. I wouldn’t want any less if I was the client; so I always try to put my passion for what I do into each dessert for each person.
