WVU Grad opens Bridgeport’s newest business

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) -” I actually watched my mom do deserts and sweets my whole life growing up; when I was in High School, and my brother and sister, for any event we had she would always do a desert bar and I would always help her with that; and that’s kind of where my passion for that came about.”

It’s been a long time coming for McKenzie Koon and the journey that led to her owning her own business, but Simply Sweet is finally here and it’s in Bridgeport to stay. The love for sweets has always been there, from the time Kenzie was in grade school. When she used to help out with her mom’s community desert bar. She then took that passion and used it to get a Multidisciplinary Studies degree a WVU in both Hospitality and Tourism; and also Marketing and Event planning. In hopes of opening her own sweet business, now known as Simply Sweet.

” It’s been really great actually. I applied for my business license and it got approved in February, so I’ve been up and running since then. I feel like now that I’m really taking this seriously, I’ll be able to grow a lot more and be able to grow a lot more. And be able to advertise and market my products a lot more. I want to get into, (almost) event planning, but the desert aspect of it. I’ve done events where I go in and decorate the desert tables and bring my own supplies and stuff like that; and that’s really what I want to do.”

Simply Sweet didn’t happen over night, it took years of preparation in both the kitchen and in the classroom. Which was required to make this dream a reality.

” When I was in High School, I took a whole bunch of business classes with the business teacher at Bridgeport, Trena Runner; and she kind of sparked my interest in the hospitality aspect of business. So, once I got into college, I was a multidisciplinary major; which is three minors to make up one major. So, it was hospitality and tourism, event planning and marketing. All my professors there where great and they kind of sparked my interest into owning my own business. I knew I wanted to do something along the lines, but I wasn’t quiet sure. And they kind of paved the way of owning my own business.”

Being a Bridgeport local Kenzie has a lot of appreciation and admiration for what a small town can offer. Making her feel that her business can offer something new to the local community.

” We have a lot of great bakeries around here, but I want to offer not just cakes and cupcakes, but dipped chocolates and stiff you don’t typically see at bakeries. I love the small town aspect of it, but also it’s a growing community. For example a lot of the work I do, I’m able to do it with some of my close friends, and it’s really cool to work with some of you good friends. So, I love the small-town aspect of that; and then pretty much all of my customers I know (personally) or I know people who know them, so that’s pretty cool too. I hope to live here for the rest of my life.”

For more information on Simply Sweet and how you can get your sweet tooth satisfied; be sure to visit their website at simplysweetwv.com

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