Sudbury pastry chef wins downtown storefront

When Justine Martin was eight years old, she had her first taste of entrepreneurship.

"My parents opened [a driving range], and ran that for a few years," she says. "I remember running around, selling buckets of golf balls."

Years later, she's still an ambitious salesperson — just with fewer golf balls and more cake balls.

Martin owns For Heaven's Bake Sudbury, a bakery she runs from home. She's also the first winner of the Downtown Sudbury BIA's 'Win This Space' competition.

Storefront can meet customers' 'last-minute' needs

'Win This Space' was meant to recruit business owners to downtown storefronts. As the winner, Martin will receive a one-year lease, up to $15,000. She will also get a business start up package with things like legal services and a discount on furniture supplies.

Martin started her business in a home kitchen. While she's been successful with online, custom orders, she says a physical storefront will make a big difference in sales.

"Right now, I'm limited to doing custom orders and need advance notice. Sometimes people ask me for something the same day, and I have to decline their business. So it'll be great for me to meet people's needs at a more last minute basis," says Martin.

"People can walk in off the street saying 'Oh, I forgot my wife's birthday,' and grab six cupcakes right then and there."

Contest to inspire more entrepreneurs

The contest started in February and attracted 30 applicants. Once 10 finalists were chosen, they participated in workshops with the Regional Business Centre to develop business plans. Then, the top five applicants pitched their business to the judges. Other finalists' pitches included a sound system company, a cafe and an event planner business.

Maureen Luoma, executive director for the BIA, says she hopes to continue the contest next year, to help entrepreneurs like Martin take the first step from concept to reality. 

"I think this will give her a push over the edge for a good start," says Luoma.

"To get a one-year lease is a big chunk, then with all the other prizes that come along with it — these are things that will allow her to focus on the business part of her business."

New storefront, who's this?

Martin now gets to choose from five vacant, street-level downtown locations. Then, she'll start to design and plan the layout.

But don't go looking for a sign that says "For Heaven's Bake" anytime soon. Martin says she'll be re-branding as "Guilty Pleasures Bakeshop & Bar" once she moves in.

"As I grew, 'For Heaven's Bake' didn't grow with me," she says.

"I sell luxurious, elaborate treats, and that name didn't really convey that to me anymore."