She's crazy for cupcakes

SANDUSKY — For years, she baked up a sweet idea sounding good and — based on early customer reviews — tastes even better. Tara Swain recently debuted Cupcake Crazy, at 1220 Hayes Ave. (Ohio 4), in Sandusky. It's across from Firelands Regional Medical Center. Swain credited her late brother, Bart Ramon, 61, of Bellevue, for providing the inspiration needed so she could pursue a lifelong dream: opening her first business. "I lost him to cancer," Swain said. "Before then, he always wanted me to do something for me. He saw how hard I took care of my family. And, by doing this, I'm honoring him in a way." Whipping up treats in her Sandusky home for years, Swain, a 1988 Bellevue High School graduate, seized an opportunity to transition from a residential to full-scale commercial business. She even found the perfect spot: a building that already served as a longtime home for a bakery: The Occasional Cookie & More. Ginger Rausch-Cusano, a baker for Occasional Cookie, "retired at the end of October, and I've always driven by here and looked out the car window and would think, in the back of my head, maybe, one day, that could be my place," said Swain, who knew Rausch-Cusano before, which created trust between the two. "And now it is." Upon walking into Cupcake Crazy, delectable, handheld treats fill the see-through display cases. On a given day, people can choose from several different flavors and varieties of cupcakes. This would include chocolate, vanilla and jam-filled cupcakes. Swain also offers peanut butter and cutout cookies along with custom-ordered cakes and specialty-designed cupcakes. All the homemade recipes come directly from Swain's kitchen. "Baking, for me, began as a way to destress," said Swain, a married mother with two adult daughters. "Baking comes from the heart. It's a feeling that I get that makes me feel fulfilled. When I see a kid come in, grab a cupcake and lick the frosting off of it, smiling the whole time, that is what brings me joy." Right now, people can visit Cupcake Crazy, which operates from mornings to mid-afternoons on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. People can visit facebook.com and search for "Cupcake Crazy" or call 419-366-9549 for more information, which would include placing custom orders. Swain welcomes anyone to stop by and check out her baking business. "It's a friendly place that I want people to come in, feel safe, see a smiling face, grab a treat and walk out feeling happy," Swain said. What's in a name? Regarding the name Cupcake Crazy: • The part "cupcake" references this shop's flagship dessert: cupcakes • The park "crazy" represents Swain's passion for cupcakes and this business.