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Sweet Success Is A Family Affair

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By LAURA FRAZIER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 4, 2008

VALRICO - Karen and Bill Walker combined equal parts faith, family and life experiences to create their business, Sweetie's Delights Bakery in Valrico.

The couple worked together for many years in the 1970s at a bakery owned by Karen Walker's uncle, Albert Olson, in Ashtabula, Ohio.

The couple moved to Brandon in the early 1980s, when Bill Walker, a Southern Baptist preacher, accepted an appointment to lead First Baptist Church of Bloomingdale. Two years later, he took the helm at Central Baptist Church in Seffner, where he ministered for more than 10 years.

While Bill Walker served the church, his wife opened a bakery in Tampa with friend Alla Bragg of Tampa. When her first child, Krystal, was born, Karen Walker gave up her stake in the business and turned her attention to her family and the church.

Years later, she began a second career in real estate and worked her way up to vice president of sales and marketing for a local homebuilder. Her husband eventually retired from ministry and joined her as a new homes salesman.

When the real estate market soured last year, the close-knit family decided to try making a living at what they loved to do together - making and decorating baked goods. They opened Sweetie's Delights Bakery in Plaza Bella in February, and by May they had established a brisk business and earned top honors for best dessert at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Taste of Brandon.

Bill is the chief baker, Karen the resident cake decorator. Daughter Jessica Walker develops cupcake recipes and is in charge of decorating them. Krystal, now Krystal Shiver, on leave from her job as marketing manager for a military family support program, focuses on customer service and public relations.

Her husband, Rob Shiver, vice president of production for a Sarasota homebuilder, also pitches in at the bakery, along with an assortment of aunts, sisters-in-law and other relatives.

"It's all hands on deck," Krystal Shiver said. "We're all working together and having a good time to make this work."

"We are a very tight family," said her mom. "We just do everything together, even vacations. It has been wonderful."

Reporter Laura Frazier can be reached at (813) 657-4523 or lfrazier@tampatrib.com.

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