Life is Sweet, Ohio University culinary services’ newest concept, is officially open.
The hot pink-colored bakery had its grand opening Monday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and offered free pastries to all for the first hour of operation.
The space Life is Sweet occupies has seen multiple concepts come and go, most recently serving as a mobile pick-up center for West 82, which is adjacent to the bakery.
“We wanted something really exciting to fill this concept,” Krystel Lupardus, general manager of West 82, Latitude 39 and Life is Sweet, said. “From our student intern to our coordinators and our students, they've told me how much they really like our bakery items that we offer from our central food facility. They thought the bakery would be a good idea.”
The new bakery concept was originally supposed to open last semester. Lupardus said that it was delays in construction, getting the case work and getting items in the storefront that pushed back the opening.
Life is Sweet will complement the other dining venues located in Baker University Center, including the Front Room Coffeehouse and Latitude 39.
The new bakery cost OU $375,000 — according to a previous Post report — but despite that price tag, students and faculty can indulge in the bakery items for as little as $1.50 for a single item.
“Since this was so popular inside West 82, we just wanted to expand on that with some new items,” Lupardus said. “Our ham and cheese croissants, our breakfast croissants, our whoopie pies, our ho-ho cake log and all those kinds of things.”
Customers can also find donuts for $1.50 each, specialty breads for $2.50 each, along with all other items ranging from $1.50 to $3.75 per item. Although customers can purchase items in any quantity, discounts apply to items purchased in half-dozen and full-dozen quantities.
“Soon we will also have some specialty items,” Kent Scott, associate director of auxiliary operations, said. “We're going to do birthday cakes, birthday cookies and we're also going to do some commencement cakes.”
Scott also said the bakery soon plans to offer chocolate-dipped pretzels as another sweet option.
Erin Parsons, a freshman studying education, recently tried a few of the bakery’s items.
“I got the no-bake cookie, and I got the log cake,” Parsons said. “The cookie was probably one of my favorites. It's something that I typically have at home.”
Parsons also said she will return to the bake shop and wants to try the red velvet whoopie pie next.
“I thought they would be way more expensive, but I think the cookie was like $1.75, which is a steal if you ask me,” Parsons said.
Life is Sweet can be found on the ground floor of Baker Center, next to West 82 food court. The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. The bakery is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
The Post’s multimedia staff recently reviewed some of the bakery's most popular products.
