“It just makes me feel special to know that one way or another our cakes are making people feel good regardless of the occasion,” says Lashonda Sanford, owner of Scratch Bakery.
Sanford grew up in what she describes as “the culture of bakeries.” She was raised by a family with a love for dessert who would constantly find themselves working, owning and ordering from local bakeries. Sanford says, “Working and going to bakeries growing up is definitely what pushed me toward opening one of my own.”
However, owning a bakery was not always Sanford’s plan. After majoring in social work at the University of Kentucky and eventually opening her in-home daycare, she realized her aspirations were no longer in her previous field of study.
Soon after closing her daycare, she opened the Newport News location of Scratch Bakery. She describes her business development as “a trickle to success” since her opening day in 2011. Sanford says, “We didn’t do too much advertising to promote the business, so I believe we have just grown organically.”
Sanford describes how she has several consistent regulars who come into the bakery. “I take pride in having those same people come back every day. Being a part of people’s lives no matter how significant is what makes me love this job so much,” she says.
The bakery’s most popular cakes include the sour cream pound cake, banana pudding cake, carrot cake and strawberry cake with buttercream, but the gooey bars have become a growing customer favorite as well. Sanford says, “My favorite depends on the day, I can never choose just one, but my husband’s favorite is the red velvet cake.”
Sanford explains how she has had a few specific orders that have stuck with her over the years, including a wedding cake for an older couple and a large order of 300 cupcakes for a church on Easter Sunday. However, her favorite cake was a Lego cake she made for a local children’s cancer charity event. “To know I was making those kids feel special, it really just reminded me why I do this every day,” says Sanford.
As much as Sanford loves her time in the bakery, she explains how her experience with Food Network set the bar for her future goals. Sanford and her bakery were featured on Food Network’s seventh season of their Holiday Baking Championship back in 2020. “It was a great experience for the business. We gained a lot of popularity and saw a spike of customers after the episode aired,” she says.
Since Scratch Bakery’s opening, the business has expanded into a larger building, serving as a cafe for lunch and coffee options included alongside the sweet treats. The Hampton location of Scratch Bakery works as a full-service cafe offering a variety of sandwiches, avocado toast, coffee and lattes. Sanford also emphasizes that the Newport News location now serves ice cream in the summer.
Sanford takes pride in her family as well as the work they put in alongside her in the bakery. Her husband tends to work on the business side, handling the financial aspects, and her children are often found behind the cashier’s desk or icing cupcakes. When Sanford is not at work, she usually spends time with her granddaughter, takes part in her church community or traveling.
According to Sanford, the future of Scratch Bakery is still to be determined. She is open to ideas such as another TV show, creating a franchise or anything else that helps grow her business. “No matter what the future holds, I know that I wouldn’t have it any other way from what I’ve accomplished so far,” says Sanford with a smile.
TO THE POINT:
Scratch Bakery
Address: 4181 William Styron Sq., Port Warwick, Newport News, VA 23606
Contact: Lashonda Sanford
Phone: 757-833-0965
Email: sales@itsmadefromscratch.com
Website: itsmadefromscratch.com
