From August through October, coffee enthusiasts in the greater Toledo area embarked on a regional journey through the annual Coffee Quest 419, a tradition that highlights local coffee shops across northwest Ohio.
For those who ventured far enough west, they may have been served their morning cup by a U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant. Among the local gems featured on the quest was CK Sweets Coffee & Bakeshop, a Swanton-based business that blends quality coffee with freshly baked goods.
Cat Kania, the owner and operator of CK Sweets, opened the bakeshop in 2020, bringing her passion for baking to the forefront after 20 years of service in the 180th Airborne. Now a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Kania turned her attention to creating a welcoming space where community members could enjoy handcrafted treats.
“Quality and consistency are No. 1,” Kania explained. “I do all the baking myself. Everything is 100% from scratch, using either family recipes or my own creations.”
Kania’s dedication to her craft was evident during a recent visit to CK Sweets, where customers like Debra Megyesi of Swanton came to explore the shop’s array of baked goods. Megyesi, who was visiting for the first time, left with an assortment of cookies after sampling the shop’s offerings.
“I gotta check out the goodies,” Megyesi said, joining a steady stream of patrons who wandered into the shop that day, drawn by the promise of great coffee, homemade sweets, and a welcoming atmosphere.
For Kania, baking has always been more than just a hobby. “Baking has been a passion since I was little,” she shared, adding that she even found ways to bake while stationed in the military, balancing her duties with her love for creating.
Located just a short drive from Toledo, CK Sweets has become an important stop on the Coffee Quest 419, which has helped increase the shop’s visibility and draw visitors from across the region. As the bakeshop enters its second year on the Coffee Quest tour, Kania’s dream of building a community hub through her love of baking and coffee is steadily becoming a reality.