Today we’d like to introduce you to Barbara Jemison.
HI Barbara, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Barb Jemison. I am the owner and primary baker of Nana’s Lil Sweets in Downtown Garner. I’ve been passionate about baking and food since I was little and helping grandma in the kitchen. I’ve been baking for more than 30 years in some fashion or another. I was a cake decorator for a large grocery chain in my teens. I managed three bakeries in my twenties before moving into the bakery business’s training aspect. I traveled the east coast for large baked goods manufacturers, teaching bakery staff to make gorgeous and delicious goods from the ingredients my companies could sell. In 2005, my family moved to the Chicago area, where I was blessed to work with a phenomenal group of chefs at a high-end catering company and set of stores as their assistant Pastry Chef. In 2009, we moved again, and I stopped working in commercial pastry. Working in the business office at a University allowed me to earn a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Fine Arts.
At that time, my first grandchild was born and made me a Nana. Between the falling head over heels for our grandbaby, and my new passion for art, I finally understood that I had a true passion and talent for baking. Nana’s Lil Sweets was born to provide a creative outlet for me and to share the love and fun of baking with my grandbabies.
Back on the East Coast, we found our home in the Garner area of North Carolina. We opened Nana’s Lil Sweets In June 2022. Nana’s Lil Sweets is a bakery for everyone. It reminds us of family, grandmothers and momma’s impact on us all. It’s about celebrations and families gathering around a table to make memories.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
This road to owning my own business has been smooth but very long and uncertain. I never thought I would own my bakery. It was not even on my radar until 2020. But I always longed for some way to give back and love people like my grandmother did. Looking back, I can see how God put all the pieces together, so I say “mostly” smooth. This past year has been challenging finding the help we need to grow, and the long hours are sometimes painful. When you’re in something that consumes you, you have to take a step back now and again and evaluate your work, see where it needs tweaking or isn’t working, etc. Those things have been difficult. But every day, I am blessed by the now regulars who come in with a smile or a story for me and by the other “Nanas” who come with stories to share.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with what you do?
As a baker, I love to bake scones, pastries, and cookies. I search for flavor combinations that are different from the usual. I am passionate about recreating and giving old family recipes a new twist. As an artist, I love to decorate cakes, cookies, and of course, wedding cakes. I am always watching videos and reading up on trends, pushing myself to try new techniques and make them my own. I am currently most proud of my Lemon Lavender Blueberry Cake. The combination of flavors and colors is stunning. I’ve not met anyone who didn’t love it once they tried it! What sets me apart is that everything in my store is how I want to taste it. In some way, my touch is on every aspect and piece of product that leaves my shop. I’m not going to follow a trend to earn a buck. I work hard to make all my goods affordable to as many as possible.
We love to hear about any fond memories you have from growing up.
One of my favorite childhood memories was being in the kitchen with Grandma and her teaching my sister and me to make biscuits, the same way she had taught my momma and her sister. She would make the dough in a bowl with buttermilk and talk to us about Jesus or the importance of helping others. Then she would pinch off a piece of dough, roll it in her hands, place it on the baking pan, and press her three center fingers into each one. Grandma always had food on the table, always. She believed in feeding everyone who crossed her threshold, and all her biscuits always had her finger impressions. My biscuits and cookies have a three-finger impression today in honor of her.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nanaslilsweets.
com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/nanaslilsweets/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/NanasLilSweets
