Serendipity Sweets Café is the kind of charming eatery one would expect to find in a small town like Williamson.
A life-sized statue of a black-and-white cow stands on the sidewalk by the brightly decorated storefront, greeting potential customers. A bright blue sign hangs over its back, announcing the daily specials: today, pizza fries and mac & cheese grilled cheese are on the menu. The chalkboard by the door proudly declares that one can find more than ten cupcake flavors, pumpkin rolls, iced cookies, and fudge inside. Upon entering, one is struck by the familiar smell of sweet baked goods.
Lesheana Sawyers spent years baking as a hobby before deciding to start her own business. In 2011, she began baking and selling her cakes from home, and Serendipity Sweets was born. When asked how she came up with the name, she answers that she’s always believed in fate. Fate certainly seems to be on her side. For years after starting Serendipity, Lesheana dreamed of opening a storefront business. “I wanted to do it for years but never was in the position to do it. It just kind of all happened and all fell together at the right time in my life.” Circumstances never seemed to be right—until May 2018, when the dream was realized, and Serendipity Sweets Café finally opened.
After six months in business, Serendipity Sweets Café is still going strong. Reviews on their Facebook page average almost 5 out of 5 stars, and many in town visit regularly. Lesheana’s favorite part of running her business is meeting the visitors in town. Serendipity Sweets Café is right next to the Mountaineer Hotel, a historic location that draws many visitors to Williamson. Most of the Café's business comes from those visitors, who come in seeking good food and a cozy atmosphere.
Naturally, most customers at Serendipity Sweets Café come in seeking something to satisfy their sweet tooth. There’s plenty of sweets on the menu, including cakes and cookies. Those with a particularly adventurous sweet tooth can order one of the incredibly popular “Freak Shakes”-- a mega milkshake, piled high with cookies, cupcakes, and other sweet toppings. The Freak Shakes are available in 8 flavors, including Ultimate Brownie, Death by Chocolate, and Peanut Butter Explosion. Of course, it’s not all sweets on the menu: a variety of lunch and dinner items are on the menu. Most popular among them is the Buffalo Chicken Wrap. The Café also offers daily specials, which can be anything from soups to casseroles, to fries and nachos. Lesheana is also preparing for Thanksgiving. She plans to add a pumpkin cheesecake to the menu during Thanksgiving. She also will add casseroles to the menu during the holiday season, describing them as her “family’s favorite” out of everything she makes.
Serendipity Sweets Café is an accurate name—the word describes not only the restaurant itself, but the city it’s found in. Williamson, a small city tucked away in the mountains of West Virginia, is the kind of place where wonderful things of all kinds can be found.