De’Lish Emporium will bring macarons, hot chocolate bombs and more to Benton Park this summer
Husband-and-wife duo Jay “Sweets” Perry and Bri “Delights” Rubin are turning their side business into an official bakery with the launch of De’Lish Emporium this summer, as reported by the Riverfront Times. A curbside operation should be open in about two months with a grand opening slated for August.
Located in Benton Park, De’Lish Emporium will be the first storefront for the duo’s lifelong passion. The pair originally started selling desserts under the business name BK Delights, which they ran as a side hustle for about five years. It wasn’t until the pandemic struck when they decided to upgrade BK Delights to De’Lish Emporium.
“It got to a point where people would tell us what they want, and we would make it for them, but it wasn’t allowing us to tap into our creative levels as much,” Rubin said. “We were ready for the next step.”
The name De’Lish Emporium embodies the creative side that the couple wants to show. “We like learning new things, and we like to learn things and perfect them. And so we fell in love with the name ‘emporium’ because it allowed us to create basically anything we wanted,” Rubin said.
The menu at De’Lish Emporium expresses their creativity, with items such as hot chocolate bombs, cakesicles, macarons and more. Additional items will be added as the under-construction storefront continues to develop.
There are plans for a ground-level patio space, as well as on the rooftop, which may eventually host live music and events. The interior will have a cafe with about 10 tables and market space that can be used for events, and the market will allow them to feature items from local artisans. “We want to feature some of our chef friends and other artists in that market space to sell their items as well,” Rubin said. “We have a friend that does bread and English muffins and bagels, so we can sell his things too – it won’t just be our products.” In the beginning, all orders will be handled through the website or by phone for curbside pickup. When dining in begins, guests will order at the counter and take their seat.
De’Lish Emporium initially started this past November as a loose business concept that the duo ran out of their home. “When we started, we didn't have a space in mind,” Rubin said. “We didn't even know if we could afford finding a place. It was just big ‘what ifs.’” Now, the bakery is part of a multi-use building on South Jefferson Avenue near Arsenal Street in Benton Park that also will feature an event space in the future. The exact address is not yet public.
A soft opening should happen within the next few months, and the grand opening will likely be a party with some vendors in the parking lot in tents and live music, pending Covid restrictions at that time. Look for updates on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
