SWANTON– After more than 20 years of military service, Cat Kania traded in her Air Force uniform for an apron; however, her commitment to serving others never wavered. Today, Kania is the proud owner of CK Sweets Coffee and Bake Shop in Swanton, where she channels her discipline, creativity, and compassion into every dessert and cup of coffee served.
“I served in the Air Force,” Kania said. “My rank was Master Sergeant E7, and I was in the Security Forces Squadron, which is kind of like the Air Force equivalent to military police.”
Kania enlisted on April 5, 2002, motivated by the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
“I lived in Niagara Falls, New York at the time,” Kania said. “I remember coming downstairs into the living room, and as I came in, the second plane hit the other tower. So, watching that was very impactful. It was terrifying, being in New York, you know, not necessarily close, but close enough. And then I just kind of decided after that that I wanted to do something so that something like that would never happen in our country again.”
Throughout her time in uniform, Kania’s work took her to bases around the world.
“I traveled to a bunch of different bases. I deployed a few times, but basically our job was base security and making sure that everybody that was coming on the base was authorized to be on the base, and then also protecting assets, like the planes and things like that,” said Kania.
Her service also led to one of the most significant moments of her life. “One huge pivotal moment in my life was I actually met my current husband in Iraq,” Kania said. “We both deployed to Iraq in 2007, and that was how we met. And so that was a big change in my life, and we’ve been together ever since.”
While she’s proud of her career, Kania admits that it came with challenges. “Once we got married and had kids and we were both still in the military, one of us was deploying constantly, so it’s hard to balance that when you’re a dual military couple.” Kania said. “And then just being away from my parents…I’m really close to my parents, so that was always hard, and they were always worried.”
When Kania retired on Oct. 22, 2022, the transition was difficult.
“It was tough,” she said. “I felt like a part of me was missing. It was not an easy transition. I think it helps a little bit that my husband’s still active duty, so I kind of have a little bit of a foot in the door still and a connection to it, but I struggled for a really long time, even before submitting for retirement, if it was going to be the right idea, if I was going to be able to do something beyond that…and that’s kind of where the shop came in.”
CK Sweets Coffee and Bake Shop opened in Jan. 2020.
“I’ve always had a passion for baking. I used to bake with my mom and my aunts and my grandma when I was a little girl, and it just became something that I enjoyed,” Kania said. “As I got older and through all the moves of the military, it kind of became therapy for me. I would bake and put all my energy into creating and decorating something and making it beautiful, and it just became something that I relied on to get me through tough times.”
The first year tested her strength.
“We made it through the first year we were open, which was during COVID,” Kania said. “So, I felt like, if we can keep the shop open and running during that year, then we can pretty much get through anything. And so that was the determining factor of when I retired.”
CK Sweets offers a full espresso bar and a variety of baked goods all made by Kania herself.
“I make everything from scratch that’s in the display case every day. I’m the only baker here, only decorator here. So, I do all of it,” she said. “We have over 40 different types of cookies, 30 different types of cupcakes. I make muffins, scones, Rice Krispie treats, brownies, chocolates, macarons. I pretty much do a little bit of everything.”
Kania’s shop has quickly become a local favorite. “The day we opened, there was an ice storm outside, and we had a line out the door for hours,” Kania said. “I’m very thankful for the community we live in. We have a great community in Swanton, and they definitely rally around small businesses and support them.”
In addition to the bakery, there is a mobile dessert trailer Kania named Zelda. “Zelda goes pretty much anywhere in the state of Ohio,” Kania said. “It’s a mini version of our shop. So, if you’re not from this area, but you want to have CK Sweets at a party or something, that’s an option.”
Between the early mornings and long hours Kania admits it’s all worth it. “If I see somebody take a bite of a cookie I made, and they’re just so excited about it, and say, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so good,’ it just makes me so proud to be doing what I’m doing,” she said.
For Kania, each smile is its own small victory; a sweet reward after years of military service.
Photos by Gaven Hafner.
