NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A friend of middle Tennessee is celebrating a very special anniversary. NewsChannel 5 was there at the start of this business, so we also wanted to be there for an important milestone.
"Lots and lots of pink and red for this time of year," said Darlene Therber, stirring some cake icing.
Her business is Darlene's Kakes, located inside Fox's Donut Den in Green Hills.
"And you can make a rose for your cake!" she said, making little flowers out of the icing.
NewsChannel 5 has captured Darlene making these roses before. Darlene remembers a day well when a news camera captured her decorating cakes in a downtown window. It was right at the start of Darlene's Kakes just before a Valentine's Day.
"1984," Darlene remembered. "That was inside the Candyland window. That's where I started, right on the corner of 6th and Church. People were very interested in this as they would go to work or as they were going to lunch breaks."
Wondering what that interview looked like? Take a look in the player above.
Over the next 40 years, Darlene came to love a challenge. She created the National Corvette Museum as a cake. She custom made cakes to be special to the person.
"We just tried anything they wanted," Darlene explained. "It was my customers who came up with all the great ideas."
The interest in what she does has always been there. Trends come and go — but cake's eternal.
"I found out that the very first birthday cake was done in Germany in the 1500s, so it's a business that will go on," Darlene smiled.
In celebrating 40 years of Darlene's Kakes, Darlene wants to thank a cake artist who worked with her for many years, Jeff Pettit, and she wants to thank the people who have come to see her for so long.
"At least 20, 30 years," one man said.
"She has some of my very favorite cakes here," added a mom, turning to two young children. "Darlene's done a birthday cake for her, a birthday cake for him."
In that story from a little while back, NewsChannel 5 had Darlene decorate a cake from the station to the viewers. This time, we talked to Fox's Donut Den about a bit of a different message.
"This is our Texas donut," said a man with the Fox's Donut Den team, decorating a huge donut. "We call it a Texas donut cause everything's bigger in Texas!"
After the decoration was finished, the Texas donut read; "Happy 40 Years, Darlene."
"I'm very, very grateful for Nashville and all their support," Darlene said.
Get ready to get inspired - Tad found a second purpose later in life, turning his hobby into his full-time gig. He helps the planet, helps homeowners and finds fulfillment in a slower pace after being on the front-line during the pandemic.
-Rebecca Schleicher
