by Rachel Witkowski
Staff Writer
Life is a piece of cake for Mike Cooper.
Cooper spends most of his time selling small cakes in a bowl that are baked by his wife, Brenda. They have a variety of different types of cakes such as lovin’ lemon, shonuff strawberry, pleazeant pineapple and chocolate-chocolate. Most of the cake recipes were passed down by Brenda’s mom, Annie Clyde. Hence, the business is called “Annie Clyde’s homemade cakes.”
Brenda started the bakery business two-and-a half-years ago and Mike started selling the cakes at the Farmers’ Market in Hemming Plaza six months later. Business is picking up, even with another cake vendor in the Plaza.
“There’s enough money out here for everybody,” said Mike.
Glenda bakes at least 300 cakes a week and during the Super Bowl last year, the couple sold about 4,000 cakes, according to Mike.
“Now I’ve got to warn you — it’s addictive,” said Mike to a customer as he sold another cake.
The couple also sells cakes in St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach and Palatka. They run a store on the corner of Terry Parker Drive and Cesery Boulevard where Brenda bakes every day, except on Sunday. It’s a fairly new career path for Mike, who has spent all of his years since high school working as an air conditioning installer. Brenda, worked at BellSouth for 21 years. They both enjoy baking and selling cakes, pies and banana pudding.
“Business is good, but we are always looking for more,” said Mike, who added that their next plan is to try to sell the cakes in airports. “It would be great for the plane ride.”
But Mike said he has discovered the easiest ride to a married life is to give her “whatever she wants.”
“It’s a lot easier that way,” he said.
Mike and Brenda celebrated their 29th anniversary Monday.