Cheesecake Funk marks first anniversary with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis visit

Cheesecake Funk Bakery in Excelsior, Minnesota, is celebrating one year in business after a visit from Minneapolis Sound legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Founder Vanessa Drews says the moment ties her storefront back to a Prince-era story that began at Paisley Park and helped launch the business.

Why it matters: - Cheesecake Funk has moved from a niche cheesecake idea to a brick-and-mortar bakery with a growing customer base in Excelsior. - The visit from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis links the bakery to Minnesota's broader music legacy and adds visibility as the business marks its first year. - The anniversary underscores how a local food brand can grow out of Minnesota's creative ecosystem and gain cultural relevance beyond the product itself.

What happened: - Cheesecake Funk Bakery celebrated its first anniversary in Excelsior, Minnesota. - Founder Vanessa Drews welcomed Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis into the bakery after asking her media agency representative, Monique Linder of OMG Media Solutions, to request the visit. - Drews said the musicians were in Minnesota for an all-star lineup at the Minnesota State Fair celebrating the Minneapolis Sound. - Drews described the visit as a full-circle moment tied to her journey from Paisley Park to bakery owner.

The details: - Drews worked at Prince's Paisley Park creative space in Chanhassen in 2013. - Her work there included greeting guests, supporting concerts and selling merchandise. - Drews shared her turtle cheesecake with staff and members of NPG, and Prince later found the cheesecake in the refrigerator. - That moment helped inspire Drews to turn her cheesecake recipe into a business. - Cheesecake Funk is now sold in the café at Paisley Park. - Drews spent nearly six years renting commercial kitchen space inside the Minneapolis Marriott Southwest hotel in Minnetonka. - The hotel partnership helped Cheesecake Funk develop its product and work with restaurants, hotels and direct-to-consumer customers across the Twin Cities. - Growing demand pushed Drews to look for a dedicated bakery location and a fully equipped commercial kitchen. - Financing proved difficult when banks did not believe a retail location would work for Cheesecake Funk. - Neighborhood Development Center stepped in, recognized the business's potential and helped fund the project. - That support made the bakery storefront possible.

Between the lines: - The bakery's story is being framed as part of Minnesota's creative legacy, with Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis serving as cultural anchors. - The business narrative also highlights the financing gap many small businesses face when trying to move from shared kitchen space to a retail storefront. - Drews is using the anniversary to position Cheesecake Funk as more than dessert, but as a Minnesota-origin brand with cultural roots.

What's next: - Cheesecake Funk is inviting guests to celebrate its first year in business at the Excelsior bakery. - Drews is continuing to grow the brand through the storefront, the Paisley Park café and social media channels. - The business also referenced official merchandise, suggesting more brand expansion around the bakery's identity.

The bottom line: - Cheesecake Funk's first year shows how a local food business can grow from a personal recipe into a storefront tied to Minnesota music history.