It's not just the waistbands of Joe's Cakes' customers that are growing. After starting in 2008, the company now produces 30 cakes a day and makes desserts for 72 weddings a year.
When Joe Heck came to Marquette after working as a cake decorator in Manhattan for 13 years, he had no idea that his cake boutique operation would expand the way it has.
Joe's Cakes, a business within the Landmark Inn, makes desserts for the aforementioned weddings, makes the desserts for both the Landmark Inn and Upfront and Company in Marquette, and also does many special orders. The business has expanded from just Heck handling everything when it started in 2008, to now having another baker and an office manager.
"It was just me by myself for about the first year and a half, and then it got so busy," Heck says. "I didn't have time to sit and do scheduling and take orders and bake the cakes at the same time. As it is, I probably put in 60 to 80 hours on average in the shop."
Even though Heck decorates numerous cakes a day, he considers each one a piece of art, which is something he takes seriously.
"We look at cakes especially as pieces of artwork that are super temporary but that each one is different," Heck says. "Even though we make 30 cakes a day, each cake that goes out, that one cake is for that one special occasion, and we try to look at it that way."
And like any field, there are certain trends in cake decorating that Heck likes to stay on top of. He reads trade publications and looks online for what's new and continues to stay in touch with people in the trade in New York City, where he says cake decorating trends often begin. But, Heck says, if he doesn't see something he likes, it's easy to start his own trend.
"A lot of it is just fooling around," Heck says, "That's the fun part of being a cake guy: You can just have fun and play."
Heck says he enjoys working in this area because his customers are loyal, and there are many foodies in Marquette for such a small town. His most popular cake is the Chocolate Raspberry Bombe, but he is also known for cake truffles. He also does specialty cakes and for weddings, he's willing to do whatever the bride wants, he says. Some of the crazier cakes he's done have included a toilet bowl and toilet paper rolls.
"Nothing's really crazy to me anymore," he says.
Joe's familiarity and involvement with the community goes beyond just his customers. In the past, he has contributed to fundraisers for the Women's Center, Beacon House, Marquette General and the Humane Society.
"It's important to me to stay connected with the community," Heck says. "I like to help where I can."
And though he says that he's definitely benefited from working in and with the Landmark Inn, he does hope to continue to expand and eventually open a storefront in three or four years. Heck says, however, that he plans to stay in Marquette.
"At 18, New York City was totally my speed, and in my 40s, Marquette is much more my speed," Heck says.
Lucy Hough is a history student at Northern Michigan University and former editor in chief of the student newspaper, the North Wind.
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