NILES TOWNSHIP — Handcrafted baked doughnuts, muffins, cupcakes, ice cold lemonade and many other enticing treats make up the menu at Niles Township’s newest restaurant establishment: Gnodtke Grab-N-Go Café.

The cafe is located at 1001 Fulkerson Road, suite A – the same building as J & K Service and Repair. The café officially opened July 14. The business is owned by Linda Ingram, of Niles. Ingram’s daughter, Kelley Gnodtke, is volunteering to help run the business as a manager, while Gnodtke’s own daughters are also lending a hand.

For Gnodtke, a personal philosophy has always been: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” So, when Gnodtke got laid off from Dowagiac Union High School after a 17-year career as a business teacher, she decided to do just that.

With her business knowledge and Ingram’s long-lived passion for cooking, the mother-daughter duo said they knew they could turn a less than ideal situation into an opportunity.

Ingram said she cannot even recall when she first found her love for baking. 

“I have been baking forever,” Ingram said. “I always bake for birthdays, special occasions, too.”

When her granddaughter, Mackenzie Brooks, gave her a book with a variety of cupcake recipes and ideas, Ingram said she felt inspired and saw the possibility to turn her passion into a business.

With the restaurant’s motto being “Where the sweetest things are,” customers can expect to find an array of signature desserts, such as a brownie and peanut butter cupcake, cake pops, giant cinnamon rolls and banana bread muffins, to name just a few. Customers can also find coffee, tea and canned energy drinks. Protein packs that include savory treats like sausage, nuts and cheese as well as vegetarian options are also available.

Given the business’ close proximity to the Indiana-Michigan River Valley Trail, the restaurant has been popular with bikers and trail-goers looking for a reprieve from the summer heat. These customers have enjoyed the ice-cold lemonade shake ups, smoothies or generous-sized scoops of ice cream, Ingram said.

“It’s a place to cool off and come in and get a drink,” Ingram said.

Customers can order their food online or over the phone for pickup.  Most items on the menu are under $10. Large orders of bakery goods can cost up to about $25. A punch card is available and if customers purchase up to $5 they get a punch on their card. After 10 punches, the customer can redeem the card and get $10 off of any menu items.

As the weather begins to cool in the coming weeks, Ingram and Gnodtke plan to expand their menu and offer lunch items like soup and sandwiches or fresh bread. Ingram and Gnodtke also encouraged customers to make suggestions for menu items.

Inside the restaurant, vibrant-colored chairs in shades of orange, purple and pink, brighten the space along with a multi-colored booth. A long wooden bar also offers seating options.

Gnodtke said the colorful décor was inspired by the ceiling pipes, which were already painted a bright orange. 

Gnodtke said that their goal is to make people feel welcome when they visit the restaurant. 

“I think our biggest thing is customer service and just making people feel comfortable,” Gnodtke said. “We have gotten a lot of feedback … the comments back are good.”

The restaurant is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

For more information visit @gnodtkegrabngo on Facebook.