Local leader
Gem City Cakes invests in downtown Pineville
WHEN JENNIFER AMBURGY started watching Cake Boss, the hit reality show that first aired in 2009, it changed the way she thought about baking. Cakes could be more than dessert, she realized—they could be works of art.
At the time, she worked in customer service at the Middlesboro Walmart. As her wedding approached in 2010, she wanted a fondant cake like the ones she saw on TV, but no local stores sold them.
“I didn’t want one that you get from the grocery store,” she says. “And my husband was like, ‘You can probably just make that.’ And I was like, ‘You know what? I probably could.’”
Today, Amburgy is the owner of Gem City Cakes in Pineville—a business that opened its own location in 2016 following six years of steady growth as a home-baking enterprise. Now in its 10th year, the shop serves sandwiches, soups and a wide range of desserts in addition to iced coffee, smoothies, bubble tea and more. And of course, Amburgy still makes show-stopping cakes for special events of all kinds.
She says owning her own business gives her a sense of purpose and opportunities to be involved with her community. She serves on the board of Main Street Pineville and helps coordinate downtown events like a recent children’s book giveaway at downtown shops and the upcoming Fall Family Fun Day on Oct. 24.
“These are dreams that I never would have even thought were possible,” Amburgy says. “I’m just thankful for the community that shows up every day. I wouldn’t be here without their support.”
Located at 104 Kentucky Ave. in Pineville, Gem City Cakes is open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Fri. and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.
Located at 104 Kentucky Avenue in Pineville, Gem City Cakes is open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Fri. and 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Saturday, closed Saturday and Sunday.
