New Kensington becoming a sweet spot with addition of 2 new bakeries

Historically known as the “Aluminum City,” New Kensington is on a path to becoming the sweet spot of the Alle-Kiski Valley.

By the end of November, the city’s downtown will have five bakeries, all within a short walk of one another.

Hailey Sabot and Daisy Lamberson will open Wildflower Bakery on Barnes Street on Saturday.

Evan Morgan-Newpher will open Evanly Bakes, nearby in Kenmar Suites, on Small Business Saturday, when New Kensington has its Shop Small Crawl on Nov. 30.

Evanly Bakes specializes in brownies and cake jars, while Wildflower Bakery has a fuller line of products including custom cakes, cookies, pies, pastries and quiche.

They will join existing bakeries Sweet Tillies on 10th Street, Sweet Alchemy on Fifth Avenue and Farm House Fresh, also in Kenmar Suites.

“Each one is unique and has something different of high quality to offer,” Mayor Tom Guzzo said. “It is really helping to make our downtown a destination sweet spot. Every one of the owners are amazing people who are really passionate about their products.”

All five small businesses are in buildings owned and rehabilitated by Olde Towne Overhaul.

Each bakery has its unique draw and clientele, said Michelle Thom, operations manager for Olde Towne Overhaul. For instance, Sweet Tillies specializes in baklava, while Sweet Alchemy is a fully vegan bakery.

“They are not reliant on foot traffic but have an established brand, and customers will travel from all around the A-K Valley to visit them,” Thom said. “Many of the bakeries also attend local markets and events on a regular basis or partner with local restaurants, which allows them to supplement their storefront income.”

Sweet Tillies owner Amy Johnson said she got custom cakes for family birthdays from Wildflower, and she plans to partner with Evanly Bakes for events.

“All five bakeries are unique and offer different options,” Johnson said. “I’m excited for any new business coming into downtown New Kensington.”

A chance meeting

Meeting another Olde Towne Overhaul tenant, Yinzpired owner Kim Denne, at a market in Mt. Pleasant is what turned Morgan-Newpher on to New Kensington, where he is opening the first storefront for his bakery with his assistant, Kate Heller. The two met a year ago at a farmers market in Verona.

He also knows Meredith Hedeen, owner of Ethical Hope. All three businesses are in Kenmar Suites, spanning Fifth Avenue to Barnes Street.

The graduated rent that Olde Towne Overhaul provides to help businesses get started was what made Morgan-Newpher move his operation to New Kensington from Batches Bakehouse, a shared kitchen in Pittsburgh he joined in August.

“It sounded a little too good to be true,” he said.

Finding the storefront, previously home to Lynette’s M.A.D. Custom Cakes, already in his colors of blue and yellow made it all serendipitous. He hopes to grow Evanly Bakes to a wider audience.

“I see New Kensington moving in a really good direction, and I want to be part of it,” he said. “I’d have regrets not coming to New Kensington.”

A native of Oklahoma, Morgan-Newpher and his husband, Jared, moved to Wilkinsburg in July 2023. Jared, a native of North Carolina, teaches French at Plum High School.

Morgan-Newpher, 35, started Evanly Bakes as a home business in January 2023 after working at the Tulsa Zoo for 10 years.

He was one of three finalists on the third season of “Great Chocolate Showdown,” a Canadian cooking competition series, that was filmed in 2021 and aired in 2022.

After the store opens Nov. 30, Morgan-Newpher will have a grand opening party from 3 to 7 p.m. Dec. 1 at Voodoo Brewery in New Kensington. He plans to be open Thursdays through Saturdays but has not decided on hours.

He’s not worried about there being too many bakeries in town.

“All of us do completely different things,” he said.

Baking with grandma

Sabot and Lamberson, both 24, are moving out with their own business after working for Farm House Fresh, where they were pastry chefs.

What their departure means for Farm House Fresh is not immediately clear. Owner Jim Rennick declined to comment.

In New Kensington, they have been providing Steel Cup Coffee Roasters with muffins, quiche, cookies and cinnamon rolls.

“I’ve always loved baking in the kitchen with my grandma. We made everything,” Sabot said, referring to her fraternal grandmother, Flora Mae Mele of Lower Burrell. “It kind of grew from there.”

Photos of her maternal grandfather, John Robert Papotnik, are on a wall. Owner of JR & Son Building Supply in Little Cooley, Crawford County, for 30 years, he died in September.

“He taught me that with hard work, motivation and dedication, you can achieve anything,” she said. “You work hard to get what you want.”

Sabot of Lower Burrell and Lamberson of Indiana Township met while working at the Oakmont Country Club. While Sabot went to Farm House Fresh, Lamberson worked for other bakeries before Sabot called on her a few months ago.

Their name, Wildflower, was inspired by Lamberson’s mother, Angela, who owned a flower shop of the same name in Indiana Township.

“It just felt perfect with what we we’re doing,” Lamberson said.

Grandparents are an influence for Lamberson, too — pumpkin roll and cookies from the recipes of her maternal grandmother, Sylvia Zelinka, will be featured, while her maternal grandfather, Alan Celo, is a big supporter.

“He has always wanted me to own my own bakery and make things for him,” she said. “He’ll probably sneak a few free ones.”

Wildflower Bakery is set up in what had been the Bartolacci Brothers tailor shop, formerly a New Kensington landmark run by Italian brothers and master tailors Mafrino, Gaspare and Guido Bartolacci.

Olde Towne Overhaul bought the building in 2018; its Fifth Avenue front has been home to NewAge Artisan since April 2021.

With large windows looking out to Barnes Street, Sabot said, the location was perfect for them, with room for display cases and people to come inside.

“We wanted it to be a welcoming environment with a homey feel,” she said.

Wildflower Bakery will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.