As we rounded the corner, we instantly felt the energy radiating from Hip Hop Sweet Shop. Music was playing, a bright chalk-painted sign sat out front and bright colors were visible through the windows before we even entered.
Owned and run by Lafesa Johnson-Hardison, Hip Hop Sweet Shop is located in Louisville’s Russell neighborhood. Johnson-Hardison’s passion for baking began with her love for her kids – she made her first cake for one of their birthdays.
“It turned into a hobby, which quickly turned into a business,” Johnson-Hardison said.
For over 10 years, Johnson-Hardison primarily did cake art, but had to pivot following surgery for Carpal Tunnel.
“So I’m like, ‘Okay, how can I stay within that bakery realm but not be so strenuous on my hands?” Johnson-Hardison said. “I love hip-hop, I love desserts, I just combined them.”
The idea for Hip Hop Sweet Shop was born, and Johnson-Hardison quickly got to work flipping an old school bus into a mobile bakery, traveling frequently to downtown Louisville’s medical district and events across the city. The extensive menu of the shop features shakes, puddings, cookies, cobblers and more, all named after hip-hop artists, albums and record labels.
The Shop quickly opened a brick and mortar location to great success and love from the community.
“It was more personal. I built every aspect of it on the inside,” Johnson-Hardison said.
In late December of 2022, another store in the same plaza as Hip Hop Sweet Shop caught fire in the early morning. The rest of the plaza was taken down by the flames, including Johnson-Hardison’s store.
“It affected me tremendously,” Johnson-Hardison said. “We had just, literally months before, put in all kinds of money to reinvent, renovate and expand. It was going great. Just like that, lost it all.”
Nonetheless, Johnson-Hardison persevered, finding a new space just two blocks from the old location. The community rallied, donating to a GoFundMe for the new space and leaving supportive comments on the shop’s social media platforms. On Dec. 6, 2024, Hip Hop Sweet Shop reopened its doors. The new location featured a similar aesthetic to the previous, colorful curtains framing the windows and a mural by local artist Jaylin Monet Stewart popping off the back wall.
“The community has welcomed us back and we’re getting a great response,” Johnson-Hardison smiled.
When we visited the Hip Hop Sweet Shop, families and groups of friends bustled in and out. The menu truly has something for everyone – from Johnson-Hardison’s baked goods and elaborately decorated milkshakes to slushies and coffees. A large TV played hip-hop music videos as we browsed the names of icons on the menu.
“Not just any hip-hop. It’s back when hip-hop was really making political statements, it was deep, it fed the culture,” Johnson-Hardison said. “Everything in here is either named after a rapper, a record label, an album, dance moves, something to do with hip hop.”
Overwhelmed by the variety in the menu, I eventually settled on the Whodini Peanut Butter Cup milkshake ($4.50-$6.50). Fellow staffer Maya O’Dell opted for an item from the dessert case, the Big Poppa Original banana pudding topped with banana slices ($8). The items were both served quickly and impressed us. The milkshake was the perfect thickness, with chunks of peanut butter cups and drizzles of chocolate sauce and peanut butter. The banana pudding was great, topped with cookie crumbles and a shortbread cookie, adding a crunch to its perfect texture.
Hip Hop Sweet Shop exemplifies perseverance, passion and quality, fostering a sense of community and fun that businesses across the city strive for.
