COVID-19 created a silver lining for this Macon native who opened her own pastry shop

For Macon native Cheryl Thomas Mills, a silver lining emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She opened up her own business: Dynamic Pastries by Champane inside the Macon Flea Market at 3670 Eisenhower Parkway.

“I’ve been baking for awhile, and when the pandemic started last year, I just got more into doing this: baking and stuff and baking for other people.

“It just happened. I just started doing it all the time and people were telling me how good everything was so I just decided, OK, well, maybe I need to try and start a business with this. That’s how I got started.”

At Dynamic Pastries, Mills offers all sorts of homemade goodies, including cakes, cupcakes, petit fours, chocolate-covered strawberries, cheesecakes, sweet potato and pecan pies, brownies and cookies.

Most of these delectable baked goods, including the cakes and large-quantity items, should be pre-ordered for pickup. But there are some treats available for take out for walk-up customers at the store.

In addition to cupcakes, cookies and brownies, Mills also has a variety of cake slices available at the shop for purchase. Most of the time, she’ll have these cake slices for $3 each on hand: Key lime, red velvet, strawberry and butter pecan.

“I sell out of my key lime just about every day,” she said. “Those are the first to go — my key lime and red velvet.”

Cakes, petit fours, sweet potato and pecan pies and chocolate covered strawberries are sold by pre-order.

“Basically, just call me and tell me what you want,” Mills said with a laugh.

Cake prices start at $35 except for wedding cakes, which start at $200.

She makes her goodies at home, usually the night or morning before she takes them to the store.

Trading singing for baking

Mills had not sold her cakes and other baked goods before the pandemic. She said she ended up with extra time on hands because her “hobby” of singing with Macon’s own Bo Ponder and the Old Soul II band came to a halt due to the pandemic.

She sang under the stage name of Champane, which she incorporated into the name of her business.

“We used to do a lot of private gigs, festivals like Winterfest with Bo Ponder and Old Soul II. With the pandemic, we haven’t been doing anything lately … It was just something that I did on the side just for a fun — a hobby,” Mills said.

“It freed up a lot of time I was putting into band and gigging and stuff … so I just put my attention toward baking.”

Mills opened shop Jan. 9, and she said business has been good.

Though she may eventually return to singing, Mills said her new business will remain center stage.

Operating hours are 2 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday and 1 to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The business is closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The number is 478-262-8180.

This story was originally published March 30, 2021 at 5:00 AM.