Bakes and Wakes Fat Lenny's World Headquarters / Facebook
Bakes and Wakes Fat Lenny's World Headquarters / Facebook
And according to Freeman, “people can expect the inside of Bakes and Wakes to match its exterior.” Fun, bright, and a little whacky.
Bakes and Wakes, also known as Fat Lenny’s Headquarters, is the combination of both of Freeman’s businesses in Lake Eerie, Pennsylvania, and will soon sell a variety of food, drinks, and novelty items. The eclectic shop rests at the border of St. Petersburg and Gulfport.
Rolled ice cream, shaved ice, bubble tea and baked goods will be the stars of the menu, while novelties like toys and magic tricks will be for sale in the retail portion of Bakes and Wakes. And for the adults— bongs, pipes, and everything you’d expect to find at a typical smoke shop will also be available for purchase in its own separate room, away from the kid-friendly areas.
There will also be espresso drinks and build-your-own ice cream sandwiches on the menu, although Freeman eventually plans on incorporating more breakfast items—and even a cereal bar—once Bakes and Wakes is fully up and running. And since he’s a diehard fan of the '90s rock band Ween, you might even see hot dogs or “Ween-ers” available at this eclectic ice cream parlor.
Freeman plans to debut in mid-March, and will only be open on the weekends until he’s comfortable operating at full service. There will be only outdoor seating when Bakes and Wakes debuts next month.
He told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that he originally planned on making his new business adult-oriented, but realized that making it kid-friendly was the way to go.
“The looks on the kids' faces when they saw our building made me want to make it more friendly to them,” Freeman says. “I don't want to scare families off with a giant bong as soon as you walk in.”
Although Bakes and Wakes is still in the works, Freeman has big goals for the future. He plans on having food truck residencies, live music, and other events at his upcoming St.Petersburg location.
He tells CL that he and his partner had plans to travel throughout Florida to find the right city for Bakes and Wakes, but that the St. Petersburg area immediately captivated them both.
“I tried to leave and I couldn't. The plan was to go all around the state—but the beach won out,” Freeman says. “We saw that building and knew it was a beautiful canvas for what we wanted to do.”
Freeman isn’t worried about the folks that don’t really “get” their eclectic ice cream shop, and says that Bakes and Wakes is more of an artistic expression instead of a traditional business.
“Our store is kind of like if your weed-smoking, rock and roll-loving uncle opened a shop for his nieces and nephews to hang out in,” Freeman says with a laugh.
For the latest information on this new whacky St. Pete business and its upcoming grand opening, follow its Facebook page.
