Sugar Babe Bakery will host its grand opening on Jan. 21 in the space next to the Audian Theatre on Main St. 

Sugar Babe Bakery owner Melanie Voorhees said she is enthusiastic about contributing to small-town revitalization with her allergy-friendly treats. Her baked goods are 100% plant-based, and she also offers items without gluten and nuts.

Voorhees wrote in an email that she wants to change people’s perception of vegan food and challenges Pullman customers to try her baked goods with an open mind. 

She said that local businesses are making progress in offering allergy-friendly food, but they rarely offer more than one vegan item on their menu. As a vegan and gluten-free resident herself, Voorhees said that it is difficult to find inexpensive allergy-friendly options in small towns and wants to provide those alternatives for her clientele.

Sugar Babe Bakery will have a low price point for each of its products, so local customers can afford to buy fresh food. 

“It’s really important that people with dietary restrictions of all social and economic statuses can afford to eat what they need to,” Voorhees said. 

Pullman resident Mya Hawreliak considers herself fortunate to afford fresh vegetables that fit her vegan lifestyle. She said that her family loves to experiment with vegan recipes in the kitchen, but they must be extra aware of each ingredient while ordering at the restaurants downtown. 

Hawreliak said that Sugar Babe Bakery’s vegan treats are beneficial to the environment and great for residents learning to navigate their dietary restrictions. 

​​“Introducing a vegan bakery is really important in broadening the horizons of people,” she said.

Prior to becoming vegan, Hawreliak’s family discussed the lack of vegan options outside their own home, but they found that the practice was worthwhile for the environment and sustaining ethical farming practices. 

“I just found the practices of the meat industry very unethical for both animals and the environment,” Hawreliak said. “I did some more research and watched a couple documentaries, and I realized that even milk production and egg production was still quite horrifying to me.”

Before she founded Sugar Babe Bakery, Voorhees discovered her passion for baking as a child, creating enormous birthday cakes for herself and her friends. In 2019, she opened the bakery at the Colfax Mercantile, according to her website. 

Voorhees would like to reach more customers in Pullman and remain close to her second business, Zelda’s Pet Grooming. She has lived in Pullman for over seven years and said she is excited to join the upward trajectory of local businesses in the area. 

“I’ve seen a lot of growth happening already, but I just want to help contribute to that and create a downtown Pullman where everyone wants to spend their time,” Voorhees said. 

Her unique twist on a Pop-Tart is a best seller at the bakery. Over the summer, Voorhees enjoyed baking s’mores Pop-Tarts out of puff pastry, packed with chocolate and marshmallow filling. 

After establishing Sugar Babe Bakery in Pullman, she hopes to expand her menu to include more breakfast and lunch items. 

“I’m just one of those people who’s never content,” Voorhees said with a laugh. “I always want to grow and do better.”