Nana’s Exquisite Confections is moving to a new and larger space at 2236 NE 82nd Avenue in Portland, with owner Florence Jenkins confirming to What Now Portland that the bakery is expected to open in mid-July. The move comes just months after Jenkins opened her first brick-and-mortar location a few blocks north on the same street, a milestone that was years in the making.
The name came in the most natural way. When Jenkins’ son got married and had children, they started calling her Nana. She also credits her mother and grandmother for teaching her the value of homemade desserts and quality ingredients. Those family recipes and traditions became the foundation of Nana’s Exquisite Confections. The menu includes German chocolate cake, red velvet, rotating pound cakes in flavors like chocolate espresso and strawberry, pies in three sizes, and a salted caramel banana pudding that has become a customer favorite.
Jenkins, a Portland native, launched the business out of her home in 2008, while still holding down a full-time job. Inspired by a childhood spent baking alongside her mother and grandmothers, she built the bakery on a simple but uncompromising idea: upscale, scratch-made versions of the homestyle desserts that most people grew up eating. She grew it slowly through markets, pop-ups, and word of mouth until the demand made her dream of opening a storefront come true.
“It’s going to be exciting, a true grand opening for me,” Jenkins told What Now. “It will be reflective of my vision coming to full fruition.
