Photo by Bridget Weishaar
Bonny Mabary, owner of The Town Clipper, stands with her sister, Betty Stevens, and husband, Ed, behind the counter of The Sweet Life. The trio now splits the space at 215 S. Union in McLouth.
by Bridget Weishaar
You know how the old saying goes… “There’s no place like home.” The statement couldn’t ring more true for Ed and Betty Stevens, new owners of The Sweet Life Bakery, McLouth.
Even the Big Island of Hawaii couldn’t keep them away from their Jefferson County roots.
Ed, a Winchester native, grew up in the area, while Betty’s family moved here in 1981. The couple lived in Jefferson County until moving to the Kansas City area in 2012, when baking became a huge part of their lives.
A health concern drew Betty away from her job as a hotel housekeeper/manager and she decided to follow her passion of baking pies instead.
The love of baking soon grew into three local farmers markets and before long the couple took their baking life on the road. In 2019, Ed retired from being a union plumber and the couple headed off to Hawaii.
The couple’s dream to spend their retired life on the island changed when the COVID-19 pandemic happened in 2020. Between the difficulty of navigating travel restrictions and missing their family, they returned to the area in October 2021 in search of a new dream.
When asked how the idea of the bakery was formed, Betty stated, “All in all we were forced to dream a new dream, and here we are.”
The dream of the bakery wouldn’t have taken shape without the offer from Betty’s sister, Bonny Mabary, who owns and operates The Town Clipper, a full-service hair salon that has been in the current location for 10 years.
It’s been just over four months since the property at 215 S. Union St., McLouth, was renovated to include the bakery but the couple couldn’t be happier with the support of the community thus far.
“The city of McLouth, community, and the surrounding towns have been outstandingly supportive. One customer spoke a very important truth to what I think is a reality for most small businesses,” Betty said. “ ‘You don’t have to spend money here EVERY DAY, but if you want them to keep their doors open, we need to support them as best we can.’ It is very humbling to have felt that support from many.”
The property is now split in half, The Sweet Life occupying the front, while The Town Clipper now lives in the back.
When the sisters decided to venture into business together, they had no idea they would be jackhammering out the floors, moving the bathroom and the water pipes, replumbing the entire building, and adding additional electrical to the center of the building to make both businesses fully functional. Describing additional hiccups along the way, Betty stated that space was definitely an issue when it came to installing and operating the espresso machine for specialty coffees.
The couple sacrificed an additional five feet of table space within the new business to allow more working countertops. Space is limited, with only three tables or eight chairs, for dining in, but the business also offers a “grab-n-go” case. Sandwiches, wraps, salads, and a triple berry compote parfait can be picked up anytime during open hours.
If a hot cup of Joe and breakfast are your “cup of tea” The Sweet Life has you covered. Biscuits and gravy, breakfast sandwiches with farm fresh eggs, and chorizo wraps are offered each morning of operation.
The business specializes in in-house baked goods such as pastries, pies, cookies, and cinnamon rolls, but don’t let the name fool you into thinking dessert is the only way to go. The Sweet Life lunch menu includes savory items such as hot turkey sandwiches, a PB&J panini, BLTs, and even an “elevated” grilled cheese with bacon, tomato, and pesto. Along with the sandwiches come chips or a garden salad.
A weekly special is also offered at the discretion of the chef, which changes regularly.
If you prefer a big city drink with a small town atmosphere, such as something steamed or frothy, The Sweet Life offers them too, in the form of a full espresso bar, drip coffee, cold brews, and chai and thai teas. A multitude of flavored syrups can also be added to any drink for an additional charge.
Current hours of operation for the business are 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
The Sweet Life’s official opening day was July 23. Ed and Betty, along with Bonny and her husband, Larry Mabary, did almost all of the renovation work themselves. Stevens also credits great friends who would show up to help when extra hands were needed.
Several hands make light work at The Sweet Life. You might see the couple’s daughter-in-law Amie and grandson Hudson on occasion, while Betty’s mom, Beverly McMillin, also helps prep for the upcoming week on Tuesdays. Behind the scenes their daughter Jessica makes the cinnamon roll frosting.
Other employees, sisters Jenna and Corinne Erickson, along with their cousin Drew Englis, work the Saturday shifts and fill in on other days needed while the kids’ grandmother, Linda Englis, helps on Fridays.
Jenna, a daughter to a very close friend of the couple in Kansas City, is a young entrepreneur working toward a business degree at Park University. She did an internship with the Stevenses in Hawaii and has since made her way back to the bakery.
The real reason the couple moved back to Kansas is their two children. Son Nick, his wife, Aime, and grandkids Clara and Hudson, who reside in Lawrence, while daughter Jessica, husband, Gabe, and grandkids Malaki and Izabel, reside in Lansing.
Weekly specials and house-made goodies can be found on the store’s Facebook page, The Sweet Life.