Inspiring Conversations with Erin Turner of Copper Country Sweets

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Turner

Hi Erin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I originally started baking in high school for friends and family events. After I graduated I attended Northern Michigan University (NMU) and received a bachelor degree in Hospitality Management (Cum Laude). During my 4 years at NMU I was very active in my program, I was vice president for 1 year and president for 2 years of the NMU Hospitality club where we would put on events, host demos and activities to expand out hospitality knowledge and meeting industry professionals to create connections. I was (and still am) a member of the UPACF (Upper Peninsula American Culinary Federation). This is a local chapter of a nation wide organization of industry professionals to expand our knowledge and share our love of the craft with the community.

Job experience: I worked at NMUs catering kitchen for 4 years and local Skinny Pete’s bakery (now closed) for 3 years during the summers.

Post graduation, I signed up for all three of From the Ground Up Farmers Market Collectives markets (Calumet, Hancock, Houghton). I baked out of my house under the cottage food law. I was given the opportunity to open up a bakery (in the building that I am currently) but the building needed a lot of work so construction was being done on the building for about a year. In the meantime I was saving up money at the markets, creating recipes, costing sheets, business plans, etc.

Now I am open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 10-6 and Saturdays 9-5 (except during the summer on Saturdays I will be closed at the bakery and be at the Calumet markets 10-2 @Agassiz Park).
I sell tarts, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, and more, I switch my flavors up regularly. I also do custom ordered cakes for any occasion.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest struggle initially was getting enough startup money, as a newly graduated college student with student debt and having bills to pay that was a big struggle.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Copper Country Sweets is a bakery that specializes in sweets, pastries, and desserts. I open later in the day then a typical bakery as majority of my menu items are too sweet for a breakfast treat. I would like to be known for the fact that I will always have the same items but in different flavors! I sells a variety of treats such as tarts, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, scones, but the flavor selection changes regularly so that way people will come in expecting something new and exciting to try.
I am most proud to offer custom desserts. Primarily the custom orders I receive are for cakes/cupcakes for any occasion, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, weddings, etc. I also do custom orders for cookie boxes! I ask for a 48 hour notice in placing a custom order!
Custom orders can be placed by calling/texting 906-369-5526, messaging me on social media, emailing me [email protected], or find a link on my website coppercountrysweets.com

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I don’t think I have one specific favorite memory but my favorite place to go was during the summers my family (me, my mom, my older brother, my grandma and grandpa, and my aunts and uncles if they were in town) would take a drive out to the beach. It was a lot on lake superior on the gay-lac la belle road. We would drive out and spend the day swimming and building sand castles and moats. We were near a little river and my brother and I would play there too and attempt (unsuccessfully) to dig in the sand to connect the river to the lake. While we played my grandpa would make burgers or hotdogs on the grill for us to eat.

Pricing:

• 1 cookie $2, 6 cookies $10, 12 cookies $18
• jumbo cupcake $5
• tarts $5
• custom cakes range typically $20-50

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coppercountrysweets.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/coppercountrysweets?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094056274288&mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/copper-country-sweets-laurium?osq=copper+country+sweets
• Other: https://linktr.ee/coppercountrysweets