LIFT UP LOCAL 013
Written by Marcus McKissic
📷 courtesy of [Peasant Life]
You probably have a dish that your family makes that’s just so good that you look forward to it at every single family gathering. Whether it’s your aunt’s macaroni and cheese or your grandfather's pull-apart bread, you can probably smell it right now. For Marcus Leslie Sr., owner of Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes, it is the memory of his father‘s peach cobbler that elicits such delightful nostalgia. Baking with his mother and father not only gave him the basis for experimentation, but also the values of building a foundation upon the shoulders of family. Encouraged by his family to follow a passion for baking, it wasn't until he came across a friend’s recipe for cheesecake that Marcus would begin a journey of which most only dream.
Before there was a “Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes”, there was simply a man sharing his passion with members of his community. Friends from church functions would rave about the taste and creaminess of Marcus’ desserts and encouraged him to share his gift with the world. After ten years of baking from his home, Marcus signed a lease with the Allen Neighborhood Center’s (ANC) incubator kitchen. Being in an incubator kitchen gave him access to bigger and better equipment, and allowed him to forge relationships to grow his budding business. Partnering with ANC helped him get licensed and truly begin to take over the cheesecake world.
“It’s my favorite dessert. It’s my passion””
📷 courtesy of [Peasant Life]
However, the ANC kitchen wasn’t the only boon to spreading the word about his cheesecake. In 2020, Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes won a business pitch competition sponsored by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership. This exposure led to an opportunity to forge a relationship with Capital City Market, which was preparing to open its doors in downtown Lansing later that year. At a time when the rest of the world was slowing down due to the pandemic, Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes was transitioning to a wholesale model, expanding to four Meijer Market Format stores and six Meijer Supercenters over the course of the next three years.
“During the pandemic,” Marcus reflects, “all of us as business men and women were forced to have conversations we never thought we would be having. After only a year of being in business, I had no idea that I would be in discussions with Capital City about taking my product into the supermarket format. This had a tremendous impact on our business and since then we have been able to hire staff and grow leaps and bounds from where we started.”
📷 courtesy of [Peasant Life]
While business began expanding, so too did the variety of flavors being released. Turtle cheesecake, key lime, and lemon were all added to the already strong line up of strawberry and New York style. In addition to new opportunities presented by being in stores, the different flavor options further expanded his customer base. All of this expansion meant that the company was going to have to grow its team. This is where family values really paid off.
Marcus explains, “My wife is the General Manager and co-owner, she is the operations and planning person, while I focus on building the business itself. My brother-in-law is the Operations Manager, and he manages all delivery and kitchen tasks. Additionally, my nephew works part-time in the kitchen, along with another close friend of the family. We value the family atmosphere and we consider those that come to work for us family.”
📷 courtesy of [Peasant Life]
All of this growth shines a light on what's to come for Mr. Leslie’s Cheesecakes. Plans are in place to expand to a dedicated production facility, so they can improve efficiency and reach a wider market. They are creating new flavors and concepts to entice new and existing customers alike. They are expanding their retail footprint into even more storefronts. It means being able to leave behind a legacy for the Lansing community, making the city smile one bite at a time. For a company whose passion is cheesecake, they are destined for sweet, sweet success.