Whether it is a delectable banana pudding cheesecake slice to revel for immediate consumption or the savory peach cobbler cheesecake to commemorate an event or holiday, Val’s Cheesecakes has satisfied sweet cravings in DFW since 2012. The signature blue and bright floral mural signifies a Dallas staple that is deemed DFW’s #1 “cheesecakery”. With twelve years of insurmountable success, Val’s is transitioning to the next chapter.
The beginning of it all:
Originally from Haiti, transitioning to Dallas in 2008 from Florida working as a civil engineer, founder Valéry Jean-Bart’s initial childhood encounters with cheesecake were experienced with his mom, Marie Jose Labossiere. Val proudly shared, “She, as a young girl in 1965, moved to New York and she worked at a Jewish bakery from 1965 until 1968. That is where she learned how to bake a cheesecake because cheesecake is not a Haitian dessert at all. She loved cheesecake.” Val observed her in the role of an avid business woman.
This undeniable love for cheesecake and unforeseen circumstances led to a Sunday tradition that eventually inspired the creation of Val’s. “My mom came to visit me in 2008, and we found out that she had terminal breast cancer. She ended up staying because I could not let her go back to Haiti. Every Sunday we would bake cheesecakes together. After her passing in 2012, I had a lot of emotional unrest, and I said let me put this emotional unrest into a business. I started in the basement of St. Paul United Methodist Church baking, moonlighting. I would get off from my normal job and bake cheesecakes. I was baking there for two and a half years. It grew from there and I opened multiple locations,” Val recounted. Early on, you may have experienced the addictive treats at Oddfellows restaurant in Bishop Arts.
The next chapter:
Val’s relentless dedication to the brand, marketing, recipes and customers has fared extremely well for the business. However, solely operating as a business owner has not fared well for work-life balance. Val shared, “…there is not a single bakery in town that doesn’t have a family, spouse, team or business partner at the head of it. There is no such thing as a bakery in Dallas ran by one person.” Having a support system and carving out time to cultivate personal relationships is vital.
In response, Val has strategically decided to close the Greenville Avenue location on December 31, 2024. “The number one reason I am taking a step back is to focus on friends, family and my love life,” Val added. In addition, the Greenville Avenue location has been restricted with infrastructure and parking issues that are impacting the ability to capitalize on revenue. Val expounded on the issues stating, “I have six spots, and I need two more to be considered a sit-down restaurant. I can’t participate in selling beer and wine like the other restaurants on Greenville.” The bakery cannot operate during Greenville block parties and parades.
Don’t’ fret Dallasites! Val’s Blue Label location on Akard will remain open! Val imparted, “Akard is only going to be focused on private catering, cheesecake classes and the very exclusive and elevated cheesecake retail program.” This is a higher end retail experience, with different cheesecake ingredients and decorations, open on specific weekend days and will be Dallas’ destination spot!
So, what about Val’s Cheesecakes? There is the opportunity for others to open a location! “We just had our trademark approved from the government. We are happy to sell the trademark package where other people can open a Val’s Cheesecakes,” Val enthusiastically disclosed. The trademark license will allow them to sell the regular menu of cheesecakes.
We wish Val success with the next level Blue Label concept at the Akard location, the trademarking opportunity for Val’s Cheesecakes and to achieve the desired balance in life.
Val’s business advice:
“There are four important things to think about when you are putting your business together.
- Support System – Who is your support system?
- Consistency – You need to have a consistent product, done the same way. You can’t jump from one thing to another. For twelve years, we had the same menu. We have a couple flavors that we don’t do anymore, but it has been the same twenty-one flavors from day one.
- Awareness – Be aware of the value of land ownership, commercial land ownership and leasing, and knowing your rights as a tenant versus landlord.
- Brand awareness – Knowing how to create trust with your customers. Brand awareness is trust. They know what they are going to get when they walk in the door. They know they are going to get the same peach cobbler, same drizzle.”
Website: https://www.valscheesecakes.com/
