WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – After a recent health scare, the owner of a Lehigh County bakery plans to close her business, a move she describes as “bittersweet.”
Wicked Sweet, which offers a wide variety of freshly made treats – from cupcakes and cinnamon rolls to danishes and doughnuts – will hold its last day of business on Aug. 31 at 3010 S. Second St. in Whitehall Township, owner Jessica Pelletier announced Friday on the company’s Facebook page.
Pelletier, who suffered two heart attacks in the spring, invites the public to join her in “closing this chapter of her life as a bakery owner.”
For the store’s last day of business, from 9 a.m. until “clearance sale,” she plans to fill the displays with several customer favorites, including crumb cakes, cookie cups, doodles, cupcakes, doughnuts, pie crusts, danishes, muffins and more.
“I hope you take the time to stop by one last time!” Pelletier wrote in the post.
“Even if it’s just to say goodbye. I’d love to see you! If you can’t make it, it’s okay! Thank you for always being a part of this incredible adventure while I fulfilled my dreams.”
Wicked Sweet, which opened in 2017, has been temporarily closed since early June, when Pelletier announced she had suffered two ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI).
According to the American Heart Association, an ST-elevation myocardial infarction is a type of heart attack with complete blockage of a coronary artery.
In his June statement, Pelletier said she would be OK and that follow-up tests were needed to determine what happened, “although the general assessment is that she is too stressful for an extended period of time.”
In the company’s latest post, Pelletier explained that her recent heart problems “changed my mentality and the things I truly value and prioritize in life.”
Working at the bakery took up a lot of her energy, even when she was at home “just trying to be the best mom and wife,” the message continued.
“As a small business owner, work never stops,” she added.
“It can get overwhelming, especially with a one-woman show. The last two months have given me a lot of time to reflect and have allowed me to completely release all of those thoughts and stresses. I feel free again. I feel like I’m ready to live my life instead of being consumed by my business. Honestly, it’s refreshing and exciting!”
“It’s a bittersweet feeling too. I’ll miss my regular customers. I’ll miss watching your children grow up through the seasons. I’ll miss watching couples get engaged, baby showers, weddings, and the babies that come after too! I’ll miss having a safe place to provide one for you. A place where you always knew you were welcome and loved – even on your worst days. I’ll miss having a little place to call my own.”
Pelletier has a culinary arts degree from Northampton Community College and began running her business from home in 2014. She opened Wicked Sweet Bakery five years ago in Whitehall in a 350-square-foot space that previously housed a hair salon.
She can’t wait for another small business owner to fill the room with “magic and smiles.”
“Eternally grateful and I look forward to seeing you behind the bar one last time!” the announcement concludes.
