'It wasn't the plan but I love it': Baked By Sweet Tooth opens stylish shop after wholesale success

Indulge in decadent sweet treats at Albert Road’s newest shop which is no stranger to the thriving strip.

Baked by Sweet Tooth, owned by husband and wife duo, Luke and April Lovelace, has returned to the Southsea road on August 6 after its previous store closed so the team could turn their attention to wholesale.

The business, which also operates a van and a popular kiosk at Gunwharf Quays, specialises in New York-style cookies, brownies, blondies and cookie pies.

Luke said: “We used to be in Albert Road in 2024 about five doors down. Then we closed that because our tenancy ended and we were done with that era and I wanted to focus more on selling to other cafes and we got really busy. We starting stocking Spinnaker Tower for its afternoon tea, Coffee Cabin and the Fossil Thief, and then we started doing the market again and realised a lot of people still want this. I saw this shop on the market and took a leap. It wasn’t the plan but I love this shop and had always wanted it even when we had the other shop.”

Following a mini-launch for close friends and family on August 5, the team have been overwhelmed by the incredible support, with the 34-year-old saying: “It has been really good. We have had people in the second the doors opened. It has been brilliant, and it has been really nice to see my old customers come back and say how much they missed us. The feedback has been really good and everyone has been so positive.”

Luke told The News he decided to pack in his job in a coffee shop after deciding he wanted to put his stamp on Southsea and the Baked by Sweet Tooth has soared in popularity over the years.

The fresh space, which has been kitted out with fun lighting and a seating area, also has a window at the back so customers can watch the team make their tasty creations.

“We wanted people to see behind the scenes because even when the shop isn’t busy, we always are because we are still baking for other cafes so I think this is a really cool thing to be able to sit and see what we do”, Luke explained.

He added: “I’m always looking for the next thing. We are going to keep going with Gunwharf and I want to do more events so keep an eye out for that and, you never know, maybe a second location but that isn’t anywhere in the near distance yet but we knew we had to come back to Southsea where it all started.”