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From carrot cake to German chocolate, West Point will be indulging its sweet tooth soon as a new family-operated business opens up downtown this summer. 

The Copper Carrot Bakery, a Southern classic bake shop, will have a soft opening at the end of June.

“We’re excited about being in downtown West Point and getting acclimated with the community,” co-owner Nikki Franklin said. “We want the bakery to be a place where people are able to come and relax.”

The bake shop’s grand opening will be early July.

The bakery will start off with a menu of homemade traditional cakes. Customers will also have the opportunity to explore coffee from around the world along with their traditional cup.

Perfect for students in the neighborhood, the shop will have charging stations and free WiFi for guests. 

“We definitely want to operate as a family fun, family-centered environment where we’re keeping our engagement with the community and keeping the community first,” Nikki said. “Developing partnerships within the community is a priority for us.”

The unique name of the shop comes from a combination of the owners’ favorite things. Nikki and Larry Franklin, of LaGrange, chose her favorite color and his favorite cake.

The couple always dreamed of owning their own restaurant. Nikki has loved to bake for a long time, so in July 2022, the couple decided to open a bake shop.

“My wife has always been a baker and cooking has been her specialty … The timing is now right because the kids are grown, and we’re about to be empty nesters,” Larry said. “So now is the perfect time.”

With West Point’s downtown area growing, the couple decided that it would be an ideal location for the bakery. 

“We were looking in the surrounding area and found the space in West Point and thought it was perfect for West Point,” Nikki said. “We see that West Point is growing. And there wasn’t a coffee shop or a bakery, and so we thought it would be the best option for us.”

“We’re just excited about the opportunity to serve West Point and the surrounding areas,” Larry said.