DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries celebrates 20 years in Iowa City by teaming up with The Free Lunch Program

In the heart of Iowa City, where tradition and taste intertwine, Jamie Powers, a fifth-generation local, creates more than baked goods.

DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries, located at 812 South Summitt Street, is a manifestation of a lifelong passion and a testament to the rhythm of the community.

Having honed her craft in bustling kitchens across the country, from Wolfgang Puck in Chicago to the esteemed Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, Powers' journey eventually led her back to Iowa City.

“We’d spent all of our vacations coming back to Iowa City and visiting family. We did love Denver but decided to move back to be near family,” Powers said. “I passed this art gallery, and I walked up and said, 'Are you selling this place?' and he said 'Yeah.' Boom. This  building was originally a grocery store, then a studio, then an art gallery.”

That serendipitous moment initiated the birth of DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries, a beloved cornerstone of the Iowa City community. Powers wanted to bring back the neighborhood bakery, offering homemade goods and personal connections.

Fast forward two decades and DeLuxe is celebrating 20 years of serving baked goods to its faithful customers. DeLuxe turns 20 on Nov. 2.

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Re-inventing the neighborhood bakery

In 2003, skeptics questioned Powers' vision for a neighborhood bakery. But determination and a women’s business loan fueled her dream, allowing her to build DeLuxe from scratch, from crunching numbers with her mom to painting the building and designing the interiors.

The process wasn't easy. Powers dealt with a bit of pushback when she first introduced her bakery.

“[Iowa City] didn’t want to risk having a restaurant in a neighborhood, and I had lived in various cities where restaurants were neighborhoods, and there were bakeries,” Powers said. “I knew that it would bring the community together. I had to convince the city to let me have a bakery here.”

Powers’ culinary background in Denver, from the Brown Palace Hotel to Gateaux Bakery, motivated her to create meaningful connections with customers, developing a passion for more than just pastries.

“[At Gateaux] I saw the relationships that they build with their staff and customers, and it was so beautiful, and I knew I wanted to serve people," Powers said. "I wanted to serve the community."

Powers started by making sticky buns, cinnamon rolls and scones in addition to her wedding cakes and seasonal treats, like heart-shaped sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. DeLuxe’s success in the first 10 years motivated Powers to start baking her own bread, and she now regularly sells croissants, bagels, English muffins and baguettes.

Establishing community support

On a typical Friday afternoon, DeLuxe is busy.

The bakery is a lively symphony of the five senses. The open back of the house is accompanied by jazz music, and each ingredient and action synchronizes with the beat. Guests can see culinary artistry unfold while sitting at the coffee bar.

Regulars blend into the scene, as familiar faces are greeted with their first name and don’t usually have to wait long. The work-from-home crowd escaping their houses, bringing their screens and routines to the outside world. Meanwhile, university students sit in the corner, filling the space with laughter and hushed gossip, sharing their wanderlust dreams of far-off places over croissants and iced lattes.

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DeLuxe is where regulars, newcomers, and students come together to demonstrate the strength of community; for Powers, that is her favorite part.

“We’ve been able to serve people on so many life occasions,” Powers said. “You become everything to everybody in a lot of ways. You’ve got your pulse on the community.”

Partnering for a good cause

DeLuxe is celebrating its 20-year milestone by giving back in a big way. Throughout October and November, with the purchase of the popular mixed berry scone, DeLuxe will donate all proceeds to the Free Lunch Program (FLP) for its 40th anniversary in Iowa City. The program provides free lunch to the community, no questions asked, and is an organization Powers is passionate about. The scone is DeLuxe's "crown jewel," according to a Facebook post.

“When people come in and realize we are celebrating 20 years, I’m like yes, no gifts, nothing. Just donate here [to the FLP],” Powers said, pointing to a flyer with a QR code to donate.

While customers regularly return to DeLuxe for the handcrafted goods, whether they are eating their way through the menu or ordering the same thing every time they come in, Powers' wants people to think of one thing when they visit.

“[DeLuxe] just does it right.”

Powers said DeLuxe's five "must try" items are the chocolate almond croissant, any of the baguette sandwiches, the chocolate chip cookies (which Powers says she has at least two a day), a dirty chai latte with oat milk and any of the quiche options on the weekend.

DeLuxe is open Tuesday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday for brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@presscitizen.com.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Neighborhood bakery DeLuxe Cakes and Pastries celebrates 20 years in Iowa City