Prep Cakes Bakery Shreveport Shares Small Business Struggles

A local Shreveport business owner has taken to Facebook to share the stark reality of owning a food business in our community. It raises a heavy question we all need to face, What can we do to save our favorite neighborhood spots from shutting their doors at an alarming rate?

That local business owner is Turaeza "Tess" Lopez, the powerhouse behind Prep Cakes Bakery. As she reviews the books ahead of her bakery's 10th anniversary this August, she’s pulling back the curtain on a brutal truth: standard overhead isn’t the main culprit right now, it’s a massive drop in local consumer spending.

In the first five months of this year alone, Prep Cakes generated $20,000 less in sales than during the same period last year. Tess put that number into a perspective that should break all our hearts: that $20,000 is essentially her annual salary. She is currently working for free just to keep the lights on and the vision alive.

To stay proactive, Tess is eyeing major operational changes, including swapping Saturday hours for Mondays to streamline fresh baking. She loves being part of Shreveport’s weddings, birthdays, and everyday moments, but no homegrown treasure can survive operating at a loss.

Tess’s vulnerability is an urgent, flashing siren for Northwest Louisiana. If we want a vibrant community full of unique flavor and local soul, we have to show up with our wallets. Word of mouth, sharing social posts, leaving five-star reviews, and physically walking through these doors matters more than you know. Buy Local, or BYE Local.

Take a look below at our gallery honoring just a few of the many beloved Shreveport establishments we've tragically had to say goodbye to recently.