Last month, Crystal and Jason Burton cut the ribbon on a brand new location for Sweet Tooth Café in downtown Gloucester, a location they now own. What started for the Burton’s as being the owners of a micro-cupcakery in the back of a shared commercial space in 2015 has since transformed them into not only business owners but building owners.
In 2015, the Community Business Launch (CBL) program held its pilot round in Gloucester, Hopewell, and Staunton. The Burton’s were first place winners of Gloucester’s CBL program, growing their mini-cupcakery into a full scale bakery and café with catering. Over time, the Burton’s established a relationship with Bobby Hatten, a former Main Street Preservation Trust (MSPT) board member, who owned Sweet Tooth’s current space at 6566 Main Street.
After outgrowing their space, they saw an opportunity to invest in the community that had supported their growth over the years and ended up buying the building from Mr. Hatten. The Burton’s have now renovated the upstairs space into an apartment that brings in rental income, while utilizing the storefront downstairs as a permanent home for the café and bakery. In addition to the investment in real estate, Sweet Tooth creates jobs for residents in the area, employing 13 people today.
The Virginia Main Street (VMS) team congratulates Sweet Tooth Cafe on all they have achieved, and we look forward to the continued growth of businesses in downtown Gloucester!
Virginia Main Street 