Our Story

The idea for Swank came from a business plan project, while studying Hospitality and Tourism Management at College of Charleston

The concept needed to fill a gap in the market and solve a problem. For us, that was offering more creative dessert options and creating a space where dessert is celebrated and not treated like an afterthought.

Danetra attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University and worked in local restaurants, continuing to develop the concept while building her skills in both savory and pastry. After launching in 2015 and operating as an online shop, Swank’s first brick and mortar location opened at the end of 2019 in Downtown Summerville.

With the versatility to create savory and sweet dishes, Danetra’s approach to pastry is rooted in building and maximizing flavor and incorporating techniques from her savory experience into her desserts. At Swank, the focus is on creating thoughtful and balanced flavors, building menus around seasonality and nostalgia, and utilizing the best ingredients including local whenever possible. Every dessert is created with the belief that it should taste just as good as it looks!