Left: Courtney Daniel with her mother Romonia Daniel; Right: Strawberry Crunch Cake (Photos by Scott Merrill and Southern Girl Bakery)
After three successful years in Dover, A Southern Girl Bakery relocated to a larger location in Portsmouth in October 2024 and has found a warm reception for its southern-inspired cupcakes and charm. Sales have soared since the bakery relocated.
“We initially looked at our current spot [2800 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth] when we wanted to open, but someone beat us to it,” says owner Romonia Daniel, who runs the bakery with help from her daughter Courtney Daniel. When their first choice for a location was unavailable, a realtor’s recommendation led them to Dover in September 2021. The bakery had humble beginnings, with Romonia passing her home-baked orders through the drive-thru window of her job at Dunkin’.
The Daniels, who are originally from Atlanta, sell cinnamon buns, sweet potato cupcakes, and their “Bless Your Heart” gluten-free cupcakes. The duo’s vision is to create a warm, welcoming environment—reminiscent of a visit to a beloved grandmother’s home, where, as Courtney fondly notes, “she didn’t turn anybody away; grandma accepted everyone into her home.”
Community-building remains at the heart of A Southern Girl Bakery’s mission. During their time in Dover, the duo actively engaged in local holiday luncheons and introduced southern flavors to community gatherings. With their move to Portsmouth, Romonia and Courtney are excited to extend this spirit of connection to a new community.
The new Portsmouth location is more than double the space they had in Dover. “It felt like everything worked out. We started with a much smaller space, a much smaller kitchen operating area. But we came here, and everything is just twice the size. It was meant to be,” Courtney says. This move required a substantial investment to create the space at their current location. But as Courtney adds, “Sweat equity is priceless, honey.”
This new space in Portsmouth has expanded business and inspired fresh ideas and growth. The location has sparked new possibilities, including plans for cupcake-decorating classes that will debut this year. Romonia and Courtney plan to offer these classes in two distinct formats—one for children, encouraging creativity and fun, and another as a “girl’s night out” experience for adults. These adult classes will provide an interactive space to learn signature decorating techniques, with an opportunity to create one of their unique specialties—the bakery’s famous boozy cupcakes.
Written by Kiandra Loukx, a student at University of NH-Manchester and a participant in the Young Reporters Project, a joint venture of Business NH Magazine and UNH-Manchester to introduce students to journalism.
