CLEARLAKE — Why purple? The small box-like cake bakery on Olympic Drive just past Emerson Street in Clearlake stands out with its purple exterior and its red door. “It’s easy to give directions, just look for the small purple building,” said Debra Yahn, 52, co-owner with
Brandy Lahr, 35.
Yahn worked at Ray’s Food Place for 21 years doing most jobs, especially baker and cake decorator. She then went to Bruno’s for five years and learned ‘scratch baking’ there. The team of Yahn and Lahr came together roughly 18 years ago when they met at a cake decorating class that Yahn taught at Hardester’s in Middletown. They then worked together at Ray’s Food Place for 15 years. It was during that time that Lahr put the bug in Yahn’s ear about opening a cake shop together. After Ray’s Food Place closed down, leaving the two women unemployed, they decided to strike out on their own.
It was serendipitous that Lahr put the bug in Yahn’s ear since her grandfather, Vernon Martin Churchill, once owned Churchill’s Incredible Ear, a hearing aid shop on Olympic Drive, which is now Classy Cakes. Having the building, but not knowing how to go about opening a business, the pair saw a business counselor in Hidden Valley who guided them throughout their journey.
Yahn’s husband, Don, drew up the plans to renovate the small building, which were first rejected. After redoing the plans, which were accepted, they began renovating the building.
“Working on this building, it was Brandy, me and my husband. It took us a year to get the building the way it is now.” When asked why it took a year to open, Yahn said, “We had to redo walls, we took walls out, put headers in, we did the flooring down. Had to get an electrician
and a plumber in here – that we don’t touch – to upgrade everything. Working with City Hall, they were really good.” She laughed, “They wanted us to get open.”
Yahn sighed and continued, “We had certain regulations from the Health Department: square feet of storage, so many types of sinks, put in the back door, the wheelchair ramp….”
“New windows,” Lahr shouted from behind the counter.
“Yes,” said Yahn, “we did a lot.”
They opened May 22, 2018, with colorful paint and tiles, along with two giant ovens. They also started branding themselves on FaceBook with their page, Classycakesbydb. They make the most popular vanilla and chocolate cakes, plus almond, lemon, strawberry, pink champagne (using real champagne). On St. Patrick’s Day, they make cakes with creme de menthe, stout beer with Irish Whiskey filling, and for children; rainbow cupcakes. They also make gluten-free cakes and cookies, which sell out “Every time I make them,” says Lahr’s father, Vern, 60.
Yahn took out a lion’s head carrot cake from the shelf to show off some of their design work. She also showed off their most popular cake, the s’mores cake, which is made of white cake, graham cracker, chocolate truffle, marshmallows and whipped cream.
“For Valentine’s Day this year, there were 115 customers. The day before, there were 45 orders, the day after it was another 50 orders. They mostly ordered strawberry bouquets. We went through eight flats of strawberries!” said Yahn. “Mother’s Day will be good. School graduations, also. We are definitely holiday oriented.”
When asked how they serve the community, Lahr said that during the fires they donated how they knew best; with food. With full-sheet cakes that they took to different locations; the Moose Lodge, the parks where people congregated.
While being interviewed for this article, Lahr took three orders online, including a Princess Poppy troll cake, a Black Forest cake and a quarter-sheet cake.
There are no table and chairs to sit and eat. Most of their orders are made on-line, picked up and walked out. Vanessa John, from Clearlake, came into order a birthday cake for her 1-year-old son’s birthday. She showed a smartphone photo to Lahr of the safari theme
she wanted on the cake and hadn’t quite made up her mind whether the cake flavor would be tres leche or strawberry banana. “I think Classy Cakes is good for the community. I don’t have to travel to Lakeport to get my cakes. They’re right here,” said John.
