Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes can build-out at Riverplace Shopping Center in Mandarin.
The city issued a permit application April 23 for the $279,000 tenant build-out. Ganaway Contracting Co. of Roswell, Georgia, is the contractor for the 2,378-foot-space at 11111 San Jose Blvd., Unit 41, in a suite between Panera and Carters.
The Tennessee-based bakery store already operates a dessert truck in Jacksonville that brings its cheesecakes, cookie sandwiches and bite boxes to neighborhoods around the area.
Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes posts on Instagram at sweetemmalinejax that the South Jacksonville bakery will offer its “delicious, homemade cheesecakes” in Riverplace Shopping Center.
Manager Nick Russo, whose parents own the franchise, said April 24 the location would open in June or July.
He said it would offer takeout with limited indoor and outdoor seating. It also posts catering options, such as the food truck.
“We cannot wait for the Jacksonville community to try our cheesecakes,” he said in a social media message.
His parents, Joseph and Jennifer Russo, registered J&J Sweets LLC with the state Feb. 5, 2024. It is based in St. Augustine.
Nick Russo said they are the first franchisees of Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes.
“We look forward to opening more stores, especially around the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area,” he said in February.
“But at the moment we are focusing on getting this store up and running first.”
The Riverplace S.C. site plan by landlord Kimco Realty shows Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes in Suite 14. The center, at southeast San Jose Boulevard and Interstate 295, is anchored by Homesense, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.
Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes’ Jacksonville dessert truck can be followed on Facebook at Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes – South Jacksonville.
The page posted Oct. 25, 2024, that the cheesecake truck has landed in Florida. “We started in late November and have been at it since,” Nick Russo said.
Started in Tennessee
SweetEmmaline.com says the Cleveland, Tennessee-based began during the 2020 pandemic when 11-year-old Emily Caroline Patterson watched the kids’ challenges on the Food Network.
She began creating her own recipes and baking cakes, and younger brother Liam asked if she could bake a cheesecake.
Her recipe is used for all of Sweet Emmaline’s Cheesecakes.
The Pattersons – led by Emily’s parents, Brian and Laura – celebrated the grand opening of “Sweet Caroline Cheesecakes” on Aug. 19, 2021.
When deciding to franchise, they learned someone in the baking world already owned the federal trademark on Sweet Caroline.
After polling customers, the name Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes became the choice.
In the summer of 2023, they added a food truck.
Seeking franchises
Sweet Emmaline Cheesecakes says it is growing around the Southeast. It seeks franchisees.
The sweetemmaline.com/Cleveland site shows 4- and 9-inch cheesecakes; bars; slices; brownies; cookie sandwiches; assortments; and three-, six-, nine- and 12-pack bite boxes.
The 4-inch cakes start at $8.99 for plain and range up to $10.49 for flavors that include, but are not limited to, praline, strawberry, chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreo, Reese’s, turtle, Key lime and more. Gluten-friendly versions are available at a higher price.
The 9-inch cakes start at $46. Six-pack bite boxes start at $15.49.
The Jacksonville food truck site shows 4-inch flavors start at $9.49, three-bite boxes at $9.99, brownie boxes at $10.49, and cheesecake cookie sandwiches at $9.99.
Russo said he and his family live in St. Augustine and also have a home in Tennessee, where they resided when his dad discovered the Sweet Emmaline store by accident “and went in to try some cheesecakes.”
“We are from New York and he thought it was the best cheesecake he’s ever had,” Russo said.
“He spoke with the owner who brought up wanting to franchise and my Dad was very interested.”
Russo said his father wanted to do something with the family that would be fun, and it’s been the most fun “thing we have done so far.”