Oh My Yum! bakery, located at 2500 SR 59 in Meadowview Square, Kent, hosted its grand opening Oct. 14. Owner and entrepreneur Jasmine Golden said she hopes the space can be a beacon in the Kent community and a home for students. 

Golden, 35, a Ravenna native and owner of Oh My Yum Bakery, said she has always loved to cook and bake. She said growing up in a big family and watching her grandmother cook was part of what inspired her to start her own business.

“Food has always been a love for us,” Golden said. “It’s constantly involved in everything that we do.”

Initially, Golden said she taught her staff the recipes and what to taste for in the baked goods prior to the grand opening of the new business.

As a full-time accountant by profession and mother of four, Golden said she now works heavily on the “business side” of her bakery while her staff are heavier on production.

“I’m a little bit everywhere between working, my business, and having a family,” Golden said.

She said she was mainly inspired by her grandmother to open a bakery after being a home baker for three years prior to obtaining her new space. She started out baking desserts inspired by her grandmother’s kitchen and southern comfort goods.

“It came out of a necessity,” Golden said. “I was outgrowing my kitchen at home.”

Oh My Yum offers a wide range of dessert specialties from layered cakes, chocolate cakes, macarons, chocolate chip and brown butter chocolate chip cookies, fudge brownies, “fan favorite” banana pudding and cheesecakes with flavors changing with the season.

“We’re pursuing something unique that you can’t really find at any other bakeries around,” Golden said. 

As they grow and continue to perfect their recipes, Golden said she hopes to elevate their cakes in the future so everyone can “experience the Yum.”

She hopes to offer plated desserts in the future during evenings to invite customers to dine in to enjoy.

Being a small business owner in her community “means the chance of something different,” Golden said. “Especially to be a young black woman it means being a role model and being an inspiration to others who look up to me and who may even want to forge their own path.” 

“No matter what that business is, I think that being a small business owner is hard, but very rewarding as well,” Golden said. “It comes with a lot of obstacles, ups and downs, at the end of the day, it’s the journey that counts whether you win or lose at it.” 

She said “there are a thousand lessons to be learned,” and “whatever you are chasing you can achieve it” when opening a small business.

Golden said the opening of the bakery experienced delays, as it was supposed to open in August but was pushed until October due to construction difficulties.

“Opening a business, especially a brick and mortar is an obstacle in itself,” she said. “Even in that, you have to pick yourself up as an entrepreneur [and] have that mindset to keep pushing.”

Golden encourages the Kent community and students to visit the bakery to study, host events and make the space theirs.

“I would love for this space to be built with young people,” Golden said.

She said she is open to feedback and ideas about her bakery and inside space.

“I am here not only to sell to you guys, but I want to be able to serve you,” Golden said. “Whatever that this community needs that Oh My Yum can provide.”

Lauren Bischof is a staff reporter. Contact her at [email protected].