From High School Sweethearts to Scrumpdiliumptious Treats
Rose and Lanel Randolph run a family-oriented business at Scrumdiliumptious. Pictured from front to left are Randall, Mariah, Skylar, Jayda, Lanel the Third, Xavier, Rose, and Lanel.
Photo by Jade Jackson
“Welcome to Scrumpdiliumptious!”
Those are the first words from the mouths of babes when you enter the small storefront on Carroll Boulevard. Scrumpdiliumptious, is a mouthful, with Louisiana styled favor to add. “A delicious taste in every bite,” guarantees that the food on the menu was made with love, and that love comes from owners, Rose and Lanel Randolph.
The married couple has lived in Denton for five years. They opened their doors January 2018, but their restaurant’s journey started years back when the couple was still in high school.
“He was my high school sweetheart,” said Rose Randolph.
Rose was on the track team while Lanel Randolph played football at Glen Oaks High in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
“She was my only love,” he said, “It felt like where love was missing, she had that and completed me.”
Lanel recalls how food played a part in the future of their business.
“She use to bring me sweet cakes every day. Then we started sharing with my friends. The cakes were so good that my friend’s started fighting over them cause sometimes there wasn’t enough to go around. So then, I told her, ‘You know, you should start selling them.’”
For a dollar, Rose started selling the cakes around school so that everybody could enjoy them.
“She never got in trouble for it, because even the teachers loved her cakes,” Lanel said.
Rose dates the recipes she used back to her grandmother, Jesse May. Her grandmother was the foundation for their desert brands today and serves as the logo for Scrumpdiliumptious.
“I was really young when she passed, but it’s her who had all the recipes and taught my mother. My mother taught me, and so forth.”
The couple went on to attend the University of Louisiana in Lafayette. The itch to further expand that business went beyond college when Lanel presented the idea of Scrumpdiliumptious, before it came into fruition, for a class project in his Master’s program.
“Out of 15 students in the class, I was the only one that my professor said had something,” Lanel said, “He offered his resources to me.”
The Randolph’s started setting up cakes in other shops to test the waters. They knew they had something successful when the owners would tell them they needed more cakes because they would sell out so fast.
Hard work with other jobs and projects to invest in the idea has been a long journey but so worth it. The name came from a list of many names the couple had in mind.
Fast forward to six children later and the move to Denton, the Randolph’s moved from Louisiana to Texas for better opportunities. They count their children, Xavier, 11, Lanel the Third, 10, Jayda, 8, Skylar, 7, Mariah, 5, and Randall, 4 being the reason.
Lanel wants to blend old traditions for new generations. The Randolph’s want to expand the business for their children to keep it in the family. Rose emphases the important need for black economics.
“We want to leave a legacy, not a liability for our children.”
The Randolph kids can usually be found watching, learning and observing the ins and outs of black business from their best teachers, their parents. The warmth that the family brings to each customer who walks through their doors adds to their experience.
Scrumpdiliumptious brings an enthusiasm and eagerness for conversation amongst good service. The store stands where the old TJ’s Pizza use to be.
They’ve settled into the new establishment with great success to the new business. Two months in and UNT organizations have already reached out for fundraising and collaborations.
“The college kids are our biggest supporters. We feel grateful for all of their support,” said Rose.
She counts the timing as being perfect with the success.
“We did it strictly word-of-mouth without a lot of advertising or commercials and that sort. Since we are a new business, we wanted to ease our way into the flow of things and it’s been working out perfectly.”
Scrumpdiliumptious has gotten great reviews for their Louisiana food menu options. Their secret recipes are the source for the Louisiana influenced tastes. Lanel said there’s no other restaurants like them in Denton.
“This is only the beginning.”
Their menu, which is available online, includes hot wings, gumbo, jambalaya, salads, and cakes. For more information visit their website and Facebook page.
Scrumdiliumptious is located at 420 S. Carroll Blv.
UPDATE 3 PM: Article was changed to include more info on the menu, website presence, and location of Scrumdiliumptious.
Photos by Jade Jackson
Header image layout designed by Mateo Granados