Brewitt Cafe & Bakery expands into Allen Neighborhood Center

At 6 years old, Erin Witt loved mixing up homemade concoctions and offering them to her neighbors.

Now 23, she’s running her own cafe and bakery — and she’s still having fun with it.

Brewitt Cafe & Bakery opened Jan. 15 in the Allen Neighborhood Center’s accelerator kitchen. The eatery features loaded waffles and savory waffle sandwiches, plus cold brew coffee and house-made cookies.

Brewitt was previously run out of a food truck, which Witt intends to continue operating this spring and summer, after she finds some more employees. For now, it’s just Witt and her mother, Donna.

Witt said she’s dreamt of owning a cafe and bakery since she was in high school, after binging “The Great British Baking Show” sparked an obsession with baking.

“I really started to get into it and realized I would love to own a bakery in the future,” she said. “But at that point it was just a dream.”

She was studying to be a therapist at Lansing Community College when she started working at Good Eats Diva, a now-defunct local bakery. The experience and mentorship made her dream feel tangible, so when Good Eats Diva shut down around the time of the COVID lockdown, she seized the opportunity to start making custom cakes from home. From there, the seeds of Brewitt slowly sprouted.

“I did custom cakes for a year or so,” Witt said. “Then I transitioned into a farmers market where I made custom cakes and an array of baked goods. That’s where I met someone who persuaded me into purchasing a food truck.

“I basically just took the leap,” she continued.

That food truck went through multiple iterations as Witt defined her vision. Its first lasted only a month.

“At the very beginning, the menu was paninis,” she said. “We made homemade focaccia and our own sandwiches. But that wasn’t inspiring.

“That was during the winter, and the winter and food trucks don’t mix well,” she added. “Especially for someone who doesn’t know how to operate a food truck.”

While working a different job, Witt had the idea to sell loaded waffles. Then, when she needed a savory option for a National Nurses Week event in Owosso, she created a Southwest turkey waffle sandwich, which is still on the menu.

“That was the start of it all,” she said.

After multiple customers encouraged Witt to look into the Allen Neighborhood Center, she decided to pursue the lead.

“We had so much momentum going toward the end of our season,” she said. “I loved this job, and I didn’t want it to end. I thought I was ready to expand into something bigger than a food truck.”

Now situated at the Allen Center, Witt is excited to see the menu evolve further. In addition to Brewitt’s rotating specials, like a Dubai chocolate waffle, she aims to expand the menu’s permanent selections with items such as a fried chicken waffle sandwich. She also hopes to buy an espresso machine.

As she looks to the future, Witt doesn’t expect the accelerator kitchen to be her final stop. But she’s certainly not rushing to get out.

“I love the kitchen, and I love the community,” she said. “There are so many great resources here.”