When Brian Dickey opened Sweet D’s Cuisine in 2020, it was in the middle of one of the most turbulent times in recent history. The world was grappling with COVID-19, and many businesses were struggling to survive. But for Sweet D’s, it was as if Wilmington had been waiting for them. From the moment they opened their doors, they were busy, and business has never really slowed down.

“We couldn’t have picked a better location,” Dickey said. “Being right near the hospital, we found that a lot of people stop in for sweets after doctor’s appointments or to take something when they visit a loved one. Whether they’re celebrating good news or looking for a little comfort after a difficult visit, we’re here for them.”

Dickey said many of his customers also like to bring treats to share with the office staff, doctors and nurses when they have appointments.

“Maybe they figure they’ll get a little extra attention,” Dickey speculates.

Dickey’s journey to owning a bakery wasn’t a conventional one, and in fact, he’s no stranger to turbulent times. He ran with a rough crowd in high school and ended up dropping out and finding his way to some unlawful business ventures.

Eventually, he got back on the straight and narrow, and he knows firsthand just how difficult this can be.

“It took time to rebuild my life,” Dickey said. “You know, because what happens is people think they start over, but you don’t start over. You first gotta put dirt in the holes that you dug, and then you start over because you ruin some relationships; you hurt some people. You’ve done some things. And whether you it’s court-ordered or whatever, there’s some restitution that has to be paid.”

Once Dickey earned his GED and got his life back on track, he started a property maintenance and office cleaning business that would eventually span much of North and South Carolina.

“I’m a testimony that you can make it out,” Dickey said. “And not just make it out, but you can thrive.”

After about a decade, Dickey realized his business wasn’t bringing in the returns he had hoped for, and more importantly, it was taking him away from his family. He felt he had reached a crossroads and was being called to invest his time and energy into something that truly mattered to him.

“I had a consultant come in and really break things down for me,” Dickey said. “I saw that I was spending too much time on something that wasn’t giving back. It wasn’t worth it. I wanted to build something that I was passionate about, something that allowed me to be home more.”

It turns out that the thing that really matters to him, aside from his family, is food. Food was deeply rooted in his upbringing. Though his family wasn’t in the food industry professionally, cooking was a major part of life. His grandfather had 13 children, and food was central to their household.

“When you have that many kids, you basically run a restaurant every day,” Dickey laughed. “They raised their own food, made everything from scratch, and I was always in the kitchen watching, taste-testing and asking questions.”

On his father’s side, his Cuban grandmother also played a role in inspiring his love for food. Her Cuban desserts and vibrant flavors stuck with him, shaping his appreciation for bold, homemade dishes.

Originally, Sweet D’s was designed to be a full-service restaurant, but with COVID restrictions in place as he was finalizing his business plan, Dickey said his best bet was to pivot to a bakery instead.

“I’m a cook at heart, not a baker,” he admitted. “Cooking lets you be all over the place, but baking is precise. You put too much of one thing, and it won’t turn out right. But I learned.”

Dickey believes it was a blessing in disguise not to have opened a full-scale restaurant with such limited experience.
Over time, he’s expanded Sweet D’s menu from stuffed croissants and baked goods to breakfast items such as grit bowls and a few lunch items. He’d like to incorporate some traditional Southern soul food recipes, but he’s not exactly sure how that fits in.

For now, Dickey is exploring all options and keeping everything from expanding to a full-service restaurant to franchising the bakery on the table. And a big part of his focus now is providing second chances for people whose lives have gone off track.

In addition to operating Sweet D’s, Dickey and his wife have also started a nonprofit called Zion, aimed at helping people transition out of homelessness or incarceration by providing job opportunities and housing assistance.

“I’m in a part of life to where I’m trying to help people now,” Dickey said. “So, we hire people from The Healing Place. We hire people from LINC and other organizations in the city to give them a second chance.”