With the jingle of door bells as you enter Little Fox Bakery on East Main Avenue comes the sweet smell of freshly baked pastries mixed with the savory smell of coffee. The naturally lit space features art pieces including hanging woven pieces and a brightly colored portrait of Mr. Rogers, bringing an eclectic feel to the shop.

A variety of areas with individual and group seating fill the majority of the space, forming around the brightly lit display case filled with colorful sweets.

The term “mom and pop business” takes on a new twist with Little Fox Bakery, a business run by a mother and her daughter.

Diane Taylor and her daughter Alison Taylor opened the bakery three months ago after years of planning.

“When we bought the space, it was completely gutted,” Diane said. “We had to start from the ground up and put in everything.”

The mother-daughter duo, who can now laugh about the experience, said it was a draining process that took longer than expected. The end product, however, is all they hoped for.

Together with their employee, Tori Trujillo, they have opened their doors and started to make a name for themselves.

Diane said she and her daughter want to continue updating the space, specifically by adding more artwork by local artists.

Diane, who used to own a small business selling artisan works, enjoys finding new artists to support and promote within the shop.

According to its Facebook page, Little Fox Bakery’s goal is “providing high quality baked goods with a modern take on traditional items.”

Alison, baker and co-owner, said she hopes to put out quality items, both classics and new creations.

Alison began baking in her teens and eventually began working at The Bistro, where she got to experiment more with dessert menus.

However, it wasn’t until she became the baker at Spencer’s Coffee that she really got to explore the types of flavor creations she could make.

“Flavor pairings and sort of weird flavor combinations are my favorite thing,” Alison said. “You see that a lot in fine dining, another thing I love, but not really in sweets. And why can’t you have combinations like that in a dessert like a cake or pastry?”

Alison embarked on a flavorful journey to create unique sweets.

“I really like sweet and spicy combinations, like mango and habanero,” Alison said. “But I’ve also been dipping more into the savory flavors recently. We did a roasted red pepper cupcake not too long ago and a summer corn cupcake with buttermilk frosting.”

Among other unique flavors, Little Fox has offered matcha tea cookies, Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes, and yellow squash cupcakes with honey nutmeg buttercream frosting.

The co-owners hope this will encourage patrons to try new things and step out of their comfort zones, even just for a bite of a cupcake.

“We invite customers to try our unique combinations, even if it’s something they normally wouldn’t,” Alison said. “If you don’t like it, that’s fine, just pick something else out.”

Diane promised they “won’t penalize you for trying something new.”

In an effort to appeal to a wider range customers, they have added items for those with dietary restrictions.

“We will always have at least one vegan item in the case everyday,” Diane said.

They also began “Wheatless Wednesdays,” which take place every other Wednesday and offer wheatless and gluten-free items, such as pumpkin ice cream cake.

Additionally, Diane said they can make any vegan or gluten-free item for special orders and have already seen a positive response to these efforts.

“We want everyone that is vegan, including the students and professors and staff, to know that they can come down to the bakery and find something they can eat every day,” Diane said.

They said they also want to move towards having a wheatless or gluten-free item every day, if the demand grows.

The owners also hope to welcome students by providing plenty of study spaces and areas where groups can meet. They even strategically placed outlets near all seating areas in order to accommodate student needs.

“We want students to feel comfortable coming in and studying for however long they need. The space is here for them to use,” said Diane.

Alison said she’s had people come in with coffee from Spencer’s, grab a cupcake or donut from Little Fox, and get to work.

“If you want to, bring your coffee from Spencer’s, we know that it’s good coffee,” Alison said. “I like seeing that, get a really nice coffee there and then a really nice cupcake here. You’re not limited to one place’s selection.”

The co-owners hope that students will find good food, good wifi, and plenty of comfort in Little Fox, making the perfectly sweet (and sometimes a little spicy) study spot.

Features reporter Julie Sisler can be reached at 270-745-6291 and [email protected]. Follow Julie on social media at @julie_sisler.