Bebe Kakes owner Rebecca Ross, left, and Hot Mama's Pierogies owner Amy Dickson are looking for a new storefront after they were forced to leave their previous one on Hook Street in Mars at the end of 2025. Butler Eagle File Photo

Two bakery owners in Mars are looking to GoFundMe to raise money to move to a new location elsewhere in the borough.

Rebecca Ross’ Bebe Kakes bakery and Amy Dickson’s Hot Mama Pierogies, two businesses that previously shared the same storefront on Hook Street, have been on hiatus since the start of 2026 and are searching for a new storefront. The two were unexpectedly forced to leave their prior location at the end of 2025.

“We were in business for six-and-a-half years,” said Ross, whose bakery specializes in custom-made cakes for events. “It was an abrupt situation.”

The owners said they are close to securing another location, but it would cost them thousands of dollars to make the space ready to house a bakery.

“It wasn’t a kitchen space,” Ross said of the new location, “so we have to convert it.”

“We have electrical charges and plumbing charges,” Dickson said. “We’re not sure what the charge is for the permits that we need.”

To help offset the costs of converting the new space, friends and family of the two have set up a GoFundMe. As of Thursday, Feb. 26, the effort has raised $950 from 16 donations. Their goal is $2,600. However, both Ross and Dickson said they will need more than $2,600 to complete the move to the new location.

“That’s just for a little extra help,” Dickson said.

The two declined to elaborate on what forced them to leave their previous location, only saying that it came suddenly and without warning.

“It was, like, kind of a surprise to us. We weren’t prepared,” Ross said. “And we’re small-business owners. Like … super-small-business owners. It’s not like we were getting rich off of our place. With the surprise of us having to relocate, it was a lot to handle.”

Ross is hoping to sign a purchase agreement for the new space within two weeks, but she and Dickson aren’t able to say when their combined business will reopen.

“With all of the renovations that we have to do and the amount of money, it’s hard to say when we’re going to be able to reopen,” Ross said. “We kind of have to go slow to make sure we can afford it. That’s why my family and friends got together, because they know that we’re not super-wealthy people that can just go from one place to the other.”

Above all, Ross and Dickson said they can’t wait to get back to doing what they love.

“Everybody’s been super-supportive of us. We’ve gotten letters in the mail and emails and text messages and comments on Facebook about how they appreciate us,” Ross said. “We’re grateful to everyone for the outpouring of love and support, and we can’t wait to get back to serving our community and seeing everybody’s faces again.”