10 Photos: Cheesecakes By James Marks Shorewood Grand Opening

SHOREWOOD, IL — One of the busiest intersections in all of Will County, Route 59 and Route 52, is turning into a lunch, dinner and dessert destination for area motorists now that James "The Mad Baker" Sankey has opened his second Cheesecakes By James restaurant.

Sankey's new location is just a few feet away from the Chicken-N-Spice restaurant and just a few more feet the other direction from the Pizza For U takeout restaurant.

At 10 a.m. Friday, Cheesecakes By James Shorewood opened, and Sankey continued to get a steady flow of foot traffic all morning and afternoon.

"It's been very good and people have been messaging me, telling me they're bringing their friends," Sankey responded.

The new Shorewood Cheesecakes By James restaurant is now open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, according to Sankey. "This Sunday we'll be open until 9 though. It's National Cheesecake Weekend."

Sankey had 11 different delicious cheesecake flavors in stock on Friday in Shorewood. These included: plain, strawberry, cherry, turtle, blueberry, raspberry, pineapple run chada, keylime, Oreo chocolate chip, triple chocolate and Reese's PB Cup.

He sells his cheesecake by the slice or the full cake.

He also wanted everyone to know that his Crest Hill location along Division Street, near the giant Crest Hill water tower, will remain open and serve as his home shop.

"Crest Hill is where we're baking and selling them, and Shorewood will be just all sales," he remarked. "I will be back and forth between both stores. It's Shorewood. It's a good cross between Joliet, Plainfield and Crest Hill and everybody is still able to meet here and get their dessert."

Sankey said the new location along Route 59 is fantastic for him. His building address is 150 Brook Forest Avenue, Suite D.

"Being between two great restaurants, Pizza For You and Chicken-N-Spice, and me being the dessert for the whole plaza," Sankey remarked. "Lunch, dinner and dessert."

Sankey also wanted everyone in the Shorewood area to know that "any local organizations, we're here to connect with people that are trying to help other people. We're ready to be plugged into the community as a main artery."

As he celebrates another National Cheesecake Weekend, Sankey remarked that there are a lot of great cheesecake makers out there working on their craft. And in the Joliet area, "I'm just proud to be the leader of the army," he said.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

'The Mad Baker' Cheesecakes By James Marks Crest Hill Opening

Cheesecakes By James Leaving Joliet For Crest Hill Location