Cakes, bonbons and gelato collide in downtown Skokie’s newest bakery

Regular shoppers at Skokie Farmers’ Market may already be familiar with the toffee-covered corn puffs that Diva Chocolates and Confections is known for, or the mango and pineapple rum bonbons that Naked Truffle regularly sells out of. 

Now, locals with a sweet tooth will be happy to hear they can find both those treats under one roof.

The two businesses, operated by Karianne Soulsby and Gracie Vasquez, respectively, have joined forces for BonBon Bakeshop in downtown Skokie.

Though new eatery is waiting to get through the Valentine’s Day rush and complete finishing touches before holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the co-owners began welcoming customers at 5023 Oakton St. on Jan. 28. 

The bakeshop is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays. 

Inside, a display case is split down the middle — Soulsby’s slices of cake, specialty breads and cookies on one side, and Vasquez’s flavored truffles, bonbons and chocolate bars on the other. 

An adjoining freezer offers seven different flavors of homemade gelato the two make in-house using Soulsby’s recipes. Another fridge provides ready-to-go cakes, and a nearby shelf holds bags of caramels, wrapped chocolate bars and chocolate boxes.

Soulsby, a Chicago resident who has sold her homemade treats in Skokie since 2020, said she’s excited to launch the new venture with Vasquez in part because she has experienced firsthand dedicated residents visit he village farmers market, regardless of weather. 

“In Skokie, and I was always stunned at this, they will come out rain or shine,” Soulsby said of her regulars. “And we’re like, ‘Oh my god, thank you so much for coming out,’ and the response is always ‘Of course, we love you guys, we want to support you.’”

“They come out, and that just told me everything I needed to know,” she continued. “This is a loyal wonderfully supportive community, I really cannot imagine a better place to open.”

The two chefs share a passion for their craft, even as they’ve taken different culinary routes to arrive at BonBon Bakeshop. 

Soulsby got her formal culinary education at a French pastry school and has worked in at least 12 different kitchens over the past 20 years, she said. 

Those spots have included fine dining establishments, clubs, hotels and other bakeries — but this is the first time she’s painted the walls of her own restaurant, which is partly why she described the venture as both the “apex” and “swan song” of her career. 

Vasquez’s first restaurant job was in a McDonald’s. Her boyfriend introduced her to his friend Stefan Markov, the founder of Naked Truffle, just two years ago and pushed her to learn how to make chocolate, Vasquez said. 

The learning process was frustrating at first, she said. She was starting from square one and pulling off the special shiny glaze of Markov’s bonbon recipes involves precise mathematical equations. 

But making bonbons and truffles also reminds Vasquez of her home in Oaxaca, Mexico, where she helped harvest cacao for hot chocolate and mole, Vasquez said. And because she is interested in art, Vasquez enjoys the visual element of delicately garnishing and arranging the treats. 

Markov and Soulsby became friends after regularly seeing each other at the Skokie Farmers’ Markets, Soulsby said. Last year, he pitched the idea that their two respective companies join under one roof and Soulsby decided to take the plunge. 

When they brought the business before the village for approval, Soulsby said village staff asked if they could offer ice cream too. 

Their gelato menu sets them apart from other bakeries in the downtown area, like Kneads & Wants Artisan Bakery and Sweet Reserve Cafe & Bakery, but Solsby said she also offers many unique items, like her peanut butter and jelly cake or coconut “floof.”

She envisions taking suggestions from clients interested in new creations and offering something different every week. The truffle and bonbon flavors range from maple and rye with toasted walnuts to raspberry prosecco and passionfruit and yuzu. 

Markov has since moved to California in order to help take care of family, Soulsby and Vasquez said. That left Vasquez nervous about whether she was ready to take over the shop’s chocolate operation, but she also feels excited to be creating something new, she said. 

Soulsby agreed that she’s excited to be kicking off BonBOn together as she wants their customers to enjoy the products they put their “heart and soul” into. They plan to fill the space with art pieces from local artists and family photos of staff members. 

Katie Tappel, a Skokie resident, stepped into the bakeshop on a recent morning to pick up a custom birthday cake for her partner. 

She said her family attends every Skokie Farmers’ Market religiously, and she always brings her son to Soulsby’s booth first to see what new treats she has. Tappel said she’s glad to see the two businesses working together.

“Every Sunday it is my kid’s first stop to go say good morning to her and see what new exciting treat she’s made,” Tappel said. “It’s nice not to have to wait for a Sunday to see her, we can hop in whenever we want.”

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