Louisville’s ‘Hip Hop Sweet Shop’ Is Just as Cool as It Sounds
This hip-hop-themed dessert shop located in the West End serves sweets, swag, and Instagram-worthy selfie spots. Get to know this local Louisville gem!
Foxxy Brownies. Don’t Take It Personal Pies. Krush Groove chocolate mint hot chocolate. Candy Girl slushes. Shake It Fast cake shakes.
These are just a sampling of the treats you can find at Hip Hop Sweet Shop in the West End! The Russell neighborhood’s hip-hop-themed dessert shop serves cookies, cobblers, cakes, shakes, slushes, and more, all named after popular hip-hop and R&B musicians and tracks.
“I wanted to do something that the community could relate to — something for us,” says owner Lafesa Johnson. But the swag of this shop extends beyond the menu. Music flows from the shop’s sound system while music videos play on the overhead TV. The walls of Hip Hop Sweet Shop are covered in eye-catching graffiti art, and hip-hop-themed decor covers nearly every inch of the place, making it one of the most Instagrammable dessert shops in town.
“I opened up the shop and decked it out,” Lafesa says. “I was like, let’s not leave one wall unturned. Let’s just go head to toe. Make it a whole selfie experience.” And with the help of local artist Braylyn Resko Stewart, she did just that. “We’re living in a selfie world now,” Lafesa says. “So, we wanted to make it so that no matter where you take a picture, it will be dope. Your desserts are going to be dope.”
The roster of desserts includes slushes named after record labels like No Limit, Cash Money, and Def Jam, along with cake shakes named for rappers like Tupac and Ludacris. The peach cobbler and the Bangin’ Banana Pudding are two of the shop’s best sellers, and Lafesa says her shop is often visited by out-of-towners who found out about the place on Instagram or TikTok. “Please come in, please dance, please record yourself, please take photos, and please tag us,” Lafesa says. “That’s free advertising.”
Lafesa has been baking for over 20 years, which began as a hobby. A single mother of three, she couldn’t afford the fancy cakes she saw at the local bakeries. So, she grabbed some magazines and taught herself how to make and decorate her own cakes. She still remembers her first creation: a beach-themed cake for her son’s birthday, decorated with Teddy Grahams and various candies to create a fun swim party vibe. Eventually, people started asking her to bake cakes for their events, and they were willing to pay. She was even asked to make wedding cakes.
Before opening her Russell storefront, Lafesa ran a hip-hop-themed mobile bakery in the area. Next, she opened a grab-and-go space in her commissary kitchen. As demand for her sweet treats grew, she expanded to include a dine-in area that’s attracting customers from across the region.
Lafesa is proud of the location and for now, has no plans to leave the Russell neighborhood. “The community deserves to have a Hip Hop Sweet Shop,” she says. She’s also no stranger to overcoming obstacles. “I was homeless and pregnant at the age of 13,” Lafesa says. “I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and learned how to make it out here. I put myself through college, bought my first home when I was 24, and never looked back.” Once business is steady at Hip Hop Sweet Shop, Lafesa hopes to start mentoring young girls, sharing lessons she has learned on the journey.
Soon, Hip Hop Sweet Shop may be serving dope cocktails, too. Lafesa has applied for a liquor license to offer infused desserts and cocktails like margaritas and daiquiris. If the permit is secured, Lafesa plans to expand the shop’s hours on Friday and Saturday to host events for adults, such as game nights, small music shows, and poetry readings.
For Lafesa, this is yet another way to help grow the community where she’s built her business. “It will be a jewel for the West End,” she says.
Hip Hop Sweet Shop is located at 1805 W. Jefferson Street., Suite 2. Check out the menu at hipsweets.com and follow the shop on Instagram @hiphopsweetshop.
All photography courtesy of Hip Hop Sweet Shop.
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Javacia Harris Bowser
Javacia Harris Bowser is a Birmingham-based freelance writer and the founder of See Jane Write, an online community and coaching service for women who write. With over 20 years of journalism experience, Javacia has received awards from the National Federation of Press Women, Alabama Media Professionals, Alabama Press Association, and the Alabama State Council on the Arts. When she’s not writing, she’s usually practicing Pilates, getting her 10K steps a day, or watching crime shows. Follow Javacia on Instagram @seejavaciawrite.