Fulton County Ohio Media

On January 18th, 2020, Swanton resident and Ohio Air National Guard (180^th TFW) Master Sergeant Cat Kania, realized a life-long dream of owning her own business when she and her husband, fellow Ohio Air National Guard (180^th TFW) Master Sergeant Derek, opened CK Sweets Coffee & Bake Shop at 95 S. Main Street in Swanton.  It was an exciting time for the Kanias and for the Village of Swanton as well with so many area residents wishing for just that type of establishment to come to town. 

It was also, for the Kanias, a time of apprehension, as any new business owner can attest, hoping and praying for the best but not knowing what the future would bring.  Customers welcomed the new business with open arms and open wallets for the first two months and then, the world and the global economy was hit with the COVID-19 Pandemic.  Governor Mike DeWine virtually shut down the State of Ohio on the 15^th of March and Cat was devastated, left wondering if her dream would be able to survive.

“I didn’t really think about the future.  I just thought about getting through the first year,” said Cat reflecting back on those early days.  “When we opened, COVID hit two months later and it was absolutely terrifying.  We didn’t even know if we were going to make it through the first year, but the community rallied around us and supported us and got us through it.  It was tough, but we made it through.  We’re doing well today and it’s the community that’s keeping us here.”

In addition to local tax revenue, CK Sweets has brought jobs for Swanton’s young work force.  Cat gives a lot of credit to the many hard-working employees that have helped her stay in business.  “We have a really great team,” she said.  “Honestly, the high school students we’ve hired have been the hardest workers that I’ve ever worked with.  They’re very focused and very dedicated and the bust their butts here and I appreciate them very much.”  That is very high praise coming from someone who once served with the American armed forces in Iraq.

What also keeps the business running are the many delicious and mouth-watering offerings you will find when you walk through the doors and the fact that Cat listens to her customers to keep them coming back.  “We’ve adapted and changed our menu based on what some of our customers have asked for.  We try and keep things fresh by revolving menus for different seasons and different times of year just so we can stay relevant and stay on top of trends,” Cat explained.  “We try and expand and not just have your basic coffee and doughnuts.  We have muffins going, cookies, cupcakes, custom items, frozen drinks, lotus energy drinks. We have a lot of variety,” she added.

With four years now behind her, Cat still has her thoughts on the future.  “We definitely want to stay local.  We’ve talked about expanding and going elsewhere, maybe into a little bit bigger of a building.  But honestly, we don’t want to leave the community of Swanton,” she said. “We don’t want to leave this location, it’s a great location.  It’s within walking distance from the schools for the students.  We love being somewhere they look forward coming to after school and hanging out or doing homework.  And teachers being able to have meetings here or staffs being able to have meetings here.  We’re definitely staying.”

Another reason for Cat to be excited and optimistic about the future is the ongoing economic rejuvenation of the Downtown Swanton area of which CK Sweets is now an integral part.  “Having new businesses come and people actually looking to come to Main Street, it’s something we look forward to, when a new business opens and trying to help them navigate opening a new business.  It can be terrifying,” she said with a laugh.

Fortunately, for Cat and any potentially new or existing Swanton business, help can be found through the Swanton Area Chamber of Commerce or through a business-friendly Village of Swanton Administration and Village Council.

Photo: Cat Kania and her Assistant Manager Rayna Schmidt