When life handed them lemons, brothers Patrick and Chauncey Peteet turned them in lemon cheesecake.
The brothers, formerly of Peteet Realty, reinvented themselves when the real estate market crashed and founded a company that they believe produces “the finest cheesecakes in the world.”
Peteet’s Famous Cheesecakes in Oak Park brings new flavors like lemon, caramel apple, egg nog, sweet potato, red velvet, Oreo, Reeses’ peanut butter cup, and strawberry banana to traditional cheesecakes. Cheesecakes start at $25.95; a half is $13.25 to $14.25.
Indulge in a slice for $3.50 or stop by the storefront at 13835 9 Mile Road in Oak Park because tasty samples are always free.
First Forecast Mornings’ Syma Chowdhry stopped in to hear the brothers’ story and learn how they successfully reinvented themselves.
“We were selling houses, investing, and then when it kind of crashed, we started losing our houses, our cars, things of that nature,” Patrick Peteet said. “When the market started going crazy, a lot of people used to tell me ‘you need to open a bakery.’”
So that’s what they did. Patrick Peteet said the brothers had been making cheesecakes at home since they were in junior high. Today’s cheesecakes are still made entirely from scratch using recipes they developed years ago.
It’s a hit, with rave reviews on the website from the press and visitors alike. So, what’s their advice for budding entrepreneurs?
“We reinvented ourselves. But when you reinvent yourself, do something different. You have to do what the next man isn’t doing. If you’re doing what 90 percent is doing, you’re going to be like 90 percent of the public,” Patrick Peteet said.
