DIXON, CA (MPG) - Cake decorators all over Northern California have been coming to Dixon to purchase their cake baking and decorating supplies at Every Baking Moment in downtown Dixon since 2000. Now, they’ll be coming from all over the world thanks to a new online store developed by AnneMarie with her husband, Rick Raymos, the new owners.

It is one of three changes AnneMarie is making at the store since taking over for founder Janis Luzzo, who has retired. She is also bringing children back for live decorating classes and will be starting a new class for teens to be the step in between beginner and adult-level skills.

AnneMarie was born and raised in Dixon and has raised their two daughters here so she just might have the pulse of Dixon in her blood. She is the daughter of Vicki and Butch Azevedo who have provided a spirit of entrepreneurship for their daughter through Vicki’s ownership of Mae’s Attic, a downtown vintage boutique for many years, and through Butch’s ownership of Azevedo’s Hay & Grain.

It was about seven years ago that the seed of ownership was planted when AnneMarie commented that she simply would not know what to do if Luzzo ever closed the store. Not only was AnneMarie a faithful customer since a couple years after Luzzo opened her store, both her daughters had also taken classes and were involved in cake decorating.

“She told me that one day she’d retire and would sell the store and asked if I’d be interested. I told her I just might be,” said AnneMarie. “I gave her my phone number and now, fast forward…”

AnneMarie was forced to retire from her job with the county due to a rare muscular disorder that affects her hands, but she wanted to stay busy and productive. At the same time, Luzzo was ready to retire. They struck a deal and everyone wins – including Rene Gray, Luzzo’s long-time staff and resident ‘Cake Lady.’

“I am excited. There’s a new different kind of energy coming with the joy of AnneMarie,” said a happy-sounding Gray. “She’s younger. She has the skills, and she is constantly posting [inventory and classes at the store.] People are noticing.” Gray came into Luzzo’s shop only at her husband’s insistence when they were getting Scout items from Robben’s Department Store next door.

“I was the youngest of five daughters in my family so I grew up baking and cake decorating. As a kid, I was really good at making roses,” Gray explained. “When we moved up north from being raised in southern California, I fell into a depression, and I think my husband was trying to get me out of it and chatted up a storm with Janis that day. I took my first class in February 2001 and was teaching by November.” She’s been teaching at the store ever since.

Cake lovers everywhere are waking up to this personal yet enriching class. The art of cake decorating is reigniting thanks to shows like Amazon’s Cake Wars, Sugar Rush, Ultimate Cake Off, and Extreme Cake Makers.

“I can’t decorate but I can bake,” AnneMarie said. “It is a family adventure. I still love cakes and my two daughters, one 15 and one 20, have been through all the classes with the youngest excelling. We held a family meeting to determine everyone’s roles and my husband will be the maintenance guy…I think we’re ready,” she added.