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Interview with Entrepreness Tiffanee Bean of Mabel and Zora Boutique

February 26, 2010 by Katelin | Comments (3)


Inspired by the bold style of the seventies, Tiffanee Bean and husband Corey, opened Mabel and Zora four years ago with a distinct style and a talent for stocking the merchandise every woman craves. The styles are bold and bright, the accessories are classy and sassy, and the glamorous selection of dresses makes fahsionistas all over Portland weak in the knees. I caught up with Tiffanee to talk about the journey she and Corey have taken in opening Mabel and Zora, and their plans for the future. This couple couldn’t have been more fun to chat with, and Tiffanee’s passion for the colorful spirit of the shop is apparent in every aspect. I can’t wait to go back!

Tiffanee, you are the owner of an adorable shop, tell us how you started your business.
I’ve worked in retail and merchandise for a very long time. Earlier on, I worked in a store where the owner worked mostly remotely, so I basically got to run the place on my own. That’s where much of the inspiration to start my own shop began. On March 13th we’ll have been in the Pearl for two years! Also, when I was younger my grandmother had this great shop with white carpet and great clothes, and it was one of maybe only two shops in town. It was a gathering spot for women to get together and shop and have fun, and that’s what I wanted to do here. I spoke with her for a long time about opening my store, and it finally became a reality. I didn’t want to sell vintage or recycled clothing, I wanted to stay modern and true to the style of dress today, but maintain the same spirit of her shop. Though white carpet is VERY impractical for a Portland shop, so we’ve got these white marble floors and they’re about as close we can get. Overall, I’m really happy with the styling of the shop. There are a few things every now and then that I would change, but I love it.

You named Mabel and Zora after your cats, and designed it after Doris Day movies. What are some of your other inspirations?
I’m so in love with things from the past. I’ve always been one of those people that people say ‘you were born in the wrong era’. I’m not sure that’s true, but I’m obsessed with different eras. I’ve gone through all kinds of era obsessions, the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s … Right now I’m kind of stuck on my grandmother’s era and happy to be there. Two lines that we carry, Milly and Trina Turk are very retro style and I love them.

What do you like most about owning your own business? And what aspects of the business do you manage?
My husband and I cover all aspects of the business. I handle most all of the buying, financial accounting, etc …  and Corey takes care of the staffing and spends the most time in the store. It’s a big job! What I like most about owning my own business is getting to run things the way I want to. It’s also scary because there is no one to go to but yourself if you don’t know how to do something, or something goes wrong. Being a business owner is really difficult, and definitely requires a certain type of person. I know quite a few people that have spoken to me about starting their own businesses and have found out that the stress is too much. It requires quite all of your attention.

How fun to work with your husband everyday! Was that something that you planned early on?
Corey was actually a chef when we opened Mabel and Zora on Alberta. Initially it was just me running the store, and I think three weeks later (“two weeks later”—Corey shouts from the back!)–Two weeks later, I admitted that I needed to hire someone to help out in the store. Corey said, ‘why not me?’ and we decided to take that leap and have us both work full-time on getting this shop off the ground. It was quite a risk, giving up our substantial source of income, but it paid off and we’ve since been able to hire wonderful employees for both of our shops. We’ve become a family, and stay close even with employees that no longer work for us. That’s a kind of relationship that many people don’t have, and we feel lucky to have achieved that.

When you opened this location in the Pearl District, did you feel that your clientele changed too?
I think if anything, we were able to gain even more customers. Most of our regular customers continued to shop here, and we were shocked to find that so many of our new visitors hadn’t heard of us or even the Alberta District before. Also in opening this location, we gained access to the very large tourist destination that is the Pearl District. During the summer it’s like we’re in a real destination city and it’s fun! Overall, we attract an older customer with great taste, and we’ve been able to just build on that client base in the Pearl.

What is your favorite place to take a break in the Pearl?
We are definitely Hot Lips Pizza people. We go there almost every day, and it is so good! Also the park is right at the end of our block, so we love to walk there in the summer and watch the puppies, and of course get Cool Moon Ice Cream. That stuff is too good! We even get it during the winter, I’m sure people think we’re crazy, walking around in the rain with ice cream.

Since you do all of the buying for Mabel and Zora, what is your favorite season to stock for?
Summer! I love dresses and bright colors. Summer is so much fun, and it’s the perfect season for my favorite clothes.

What are some challenges with buying for your store?
Editing, editing, editing. When we used to go to market, we would look at everything and always over-buy. Now, we try to be more focused, find what we came for, and leave! It helps us to be more consistent with the clothes that we stock. I’ve found that the things that I like sells, and the things I’m not so sure about end up on the sale rack. I’ve had to learn to really trust myself. Though I do have to keep our customers in mind as well. I love kitsch, I swear I’m making our house into the Brady Bunch house, and I love it! If Corey would let me have green shag carpet we would. But I have to remember that not everyone has my exact taste. Also, we’re making a real effort to find clothes that fit all different body types. It’s challenging, but we do our best to find good pieces to accommodate everyone in a flattering way. Another challenge, is being aware of trends. Again, we’re trying really hard to stay true to the specific types of clothes that we’ve built our store’s reputation on and the items that we’re excited about. If there’s an airline stewardess-looking dress in a bright color, we’re definitely getting it. But it can get really hard when you go to market and literally EVERYONE is wearing fringe, or pink. It feels like once a trend becomes popular you can’t get away from it. We want to stay modern and trendy, but maintain our individual style.

Portland’s fashion scene seems largely focused on supporting local designers. Do you feel a responsibility to this movement or does it interfere with your stylistic vision?
It’s true that there are many great designers here in Portland. But they are also represented in a lot of boutiques. We wanted to stay away from being just another local Portland boutique and offer something different and uniquely us. We pay a lot of attention to the practices of the companies we buy from and in some cases have had to stop carrying certain brands over disagreements in practices. In our opinion, it’s important to support brands that we can get behind AND fit with the style of our store and customers. Ultimately that means that we don’t carry a ton of Portland made products, but pay close attention to where and how the items we purchase are made. For example, we carry almost everything that Trina Turk designs and over 70% of it is made in America. We also carry Angela Arnold jewelry, a lot of Betsy & Iya, and many of my sister-in-law’s designs, all Portland made.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
There are several different rewarding aspects. The first is more of a daily reward, and that’s having customers walk away happy. Like yesterday, we had a customer come in fifteen minutes before closing. She had driven from Salem, and had been shopping all day for a dress to wear to a wedding. She had a very slim, tall, athletic build and couldn’t find a thing to fit her. I suggested a sleeveless cowl neck dress, and it looked stunning on her! She was SO excited because all day, no one had helped her or suggested anything like the dress. She left so happy, originally thinking that she would have to go home empty-handed, and we were able to give her something she loved and felt confident in. That felt really good.

But I don’t work in the store all of the time, so I don’t get to be a part of everyone’s shopping successes. For me the most constant reward is the fact that we’ve been in business for almost four years. It feels like such a great accomplishment, that even if the store were to close tomorrow I wouldn’t regret it because of what a great experience it’s been.

What is this season’s must-have item in the shop?
Bright colors! Big sellers for spring have been our items in peacock teal. It seems like everyone has to have something in that shade this season, it has blown off the racks. Also here in Portland, I think long sleeved, bright colored cardigans are a must. In other parts of the country, springtime means sundresses and sandals, but here we have to stay a little more covered up, so bright colored cardigans are great.

What is the most important staple of your own closet?
All of my Trina Turk outfits, she’s probably my favorite designer. She is from Palm Springs, and I just visited her store. It looked almost identical to ours! She loves the same kind of jet set, bold colors, seventies design aesthetic that I do. It was like a brain share between the two of us. So all of the items I have of hers are in a special section of my closet.

Do you have plans for the future of Mabel & Zora?
For the moment, our biggest initiative is introducing our own clothing line. There are sometimes gaps that you wish you fill in your store, but can’t find what you’re looking for. Introducing our own line would help us to supply our customers with everything we want to offer them, and give customers an even better reason to shop here since our line will be sold exclusively at Mabel and Zora! But since I’m still in school, that is awhile down the road. For now we’re happy with where we are, we want to continue to evolve our buying, and enjoy starting our family.

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

February 25, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

Best of Portland: Home Organization

February 24, 2010 by Katerina | Comments (0)


The days are getting longer and the air is finally getting warmer, which means it’s time for Spring Cleaning. This is a good thing, since the piles of mail and magazines, cluttered closet space, and a limitless amount of other junk have accumulated beyond what is acceptable. We have researched some great local resources for organizing your life and the space you live in! Take a look:

Home Ec.
3327 SE Hawthorne
Home Ec. vintage housewares and furnishings store offers a diverse range of house-hold products, including kitchenware, furniture, appliances, art, pin-ups, vintage iron-ons, records, barware, and miscellanous useful items (or useless, but pleasing to the home, nonetheless– it’s all relative, right?) from the 50’s – 70’s. Home Ec. was rated the #1 antique/home furnishing store in the Portland area on Citysearch.com for three consecutive years, and has been featured on Fox Channel 12’s “Good Day Lifestyles ,”as well as Channel 2’s “AM Northwest.” Publications have also printed articles featuring Home Ec., including Small Business Journal, The Oregonian, Willamette Week, Portlandpicks.com and the Portland Mercury. Make sure you don’t sleep on this timeless shop that has been raved about!

Organize in Style / The Shebang
 Krista Colvin, Owner
Household organization is more than choosing the right storage shelves, filing cabinets, post-its, and knife collection; it requires strategy, tact, and vision. That’s where Krista Colvin steps in. Krista Colvin is the Lifestyle Expert for AM Northwest, creator of The Shebang–the smart woman’s guide to doing it all. She runs her home, office, and she’ll help run yours, too! Follow her blog, to tune into monthly projects, weekly to-do lists, featured guest experts, and various tools and tactics on how to organize your life and the space you live in.

The Rebuilding Center
3625 N. Mississippi
If you’re undertaking a more rigorous and ambitious home organization project, such as remodeling the office or repairing that door that you’ve been meaning to fix for the past 7 months, you should look into the ReBuilding Center. Founded by volunteers in 1998, The ReBuilding Center carries the region’s largest volume of used building and remodeling materials. It provides resources that make home repairs affordable to everyone, with the goal of promoting the reuse of salvaged and reclaimed materials. Three hundred visitors come to The ReBuilding Center every day to browse the ever-changing inventory that includes sinks, tubs, tile, lumber, doors, windows, trim and much more. Other services include free pick-up, classes and workshops on how to safely work with used building materials, and volunteer opportunities. The Center has been a winner of the Oregon Ethics in Business Award, Oregon Entrepreneurs Forum Award, and The City of Portland’s “BEST Business Award.”

Review: Beauty Without Cruelty – Facial Cleanser & Toner

February 23, 2010 by Ashkan | Comments (0)

One recent Sunday morning, I surprisingly ran out of facial product. The MAC Cosmetics store didn’t open until later and the nearby store with skin care was Whole Foods. I stumbled upon the plain product line Beauty Without Cruelty, or BWC as seen on its packaging. I was stunned over the price of this product line compared to my department store products; up to 60% less! I purchased the organic aromatherapy facial cleanser ($10.95) and balancing toner ($9.95). The facial cleanser is a 3% alpha hydroxy product for normal to oily skin. BWC products are about as pure as pure can get: all organic, 100% vegan, nothing synthetic, paraben free, no animal testing, and pH balanced. The cleanser has the texture of liquid soap, but packs a powerful punch. It was strong enough yet soothing to remove MAC’s toughest foundation. The cleanser doesn’t contain any detergents, so don’t expect it to lather. The key ingredient in both products is an Oshadi essential oil. The toner is a straightforward toner formulated with a botanical recipe and no alcohol. It left my skin feeling refreshed and removed any residue after washing my face. BWC is a traditional, basic skin care line that gets the job done at a fraction of the cost of department store brands.

Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat

February 23, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (0)


For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & décor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”

Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home décor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.

As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them…so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses….now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise…big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.

Oprah says make your home an oasis…take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”…even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

February 22, 2010 by Madeline C. | Comments (0)


When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

Coffee Chat: Create the Ultimate Shopping Experience, February 28, 9-11AM

February 18, 2010 by Mai T. | Comments (2)

Topic: Create the Ultimate Shopping Experience – In Store & Online
Speakers: Kate Logan Fulford (theproprietress.com) & Cecilia Doan (CRAVE Pdx blogger)
When: Sunday, February 28th from 9-11am
Where: Parallel Boutique – 1022A NW Johnson St, Portland, OR 97209
Price: $15 per person, 2 for $20, $8 for students w/ID.

LIMITED TICKETS – YOU MUST REGISTER HERE.

Description: Do you own a boutique, a small business, or looking to start one? From store merchandising to handwritten thank you notes and weekly e-mail newsletters, how do you provide customers with a wholesome shopping experience? Kate “The Proprietress” provides retail knowledge for the stylish entrepreneur while CRAVE Portland’s very own blogger sheds light on how simple it can be to incorporate “online marketing & social media” into your business.

Coffee and gift bags with sweet treats and special promotions from local businesses will be provided for guests. Parallel Boutique offers all attendees 10% off all merchandise on day of event.

Cash & credit card payment will be taken at the door. For more information contact cecilia@craveportland.com.

Best of Portland: Baby Shower Gifts

February 17, 2010 by Katelin | Comments (1)

Baby showers are all about getting together with girlfriends, celebrating new life, and passing on war-stories to the mommies-to-be. But too often, the excitement of celebrating our friends’ new journeys is overshadowed by the stress of searching for the perfect shower gift. Here are some go-to shops in town where great gifts are found in a fraction of the time, with party-stopping results guaranteed!

Black Wagon. Located in Portland’s eclectic Mississippi neighborhood, Black Wagon is know to outfit babies with hip parents and trendy taste. Regulars to this shop regard it is as their secret weapon to remaining the coolest parents, aunts, and godparents. It has even been described as the place that rockstars go to dress their children. With a unique selection of locally made items, Black Wagon is committed to supporting sustainability and independent designers, while providing shoppers with the best selection of unique baby supplies and gifts. Some favorite shower items are the Mary-Jane t-stap socks, and selection of Amy Wilson Sanger books about baby’s first international foods like, Hola Jalapeño and Yum Yum Dim Sum. In accordance with Black Wagon’s ‘happy camper’ policy, the staff is well informed on the items in stock and always willing to help shoppers find the items or gifts for which they search. Black Wagon is a family friendly shop, and a fun place to duck in and quickly cross shower-shopping off your list. Find Black Wagon at 3964 N. Mississippi Avenue.

Little Urbanites. Across town in the Pearl District, Little Urbanites is another children’s shop store know for its hip stock of baby necessities. Owned by a mother-daughter duo, Little Urbanites carries clothes, toys, and décor that both look and do good. Many of the clothes and accessories are made of organic fibers, like the Pixel Organic Sheets, BabySoy kimono bodysuits, and Beba Bean Bamboo Sacques and hats. They even carry no chemical softener, BPA free pacifiers. Just a short stroll from Jamison Square Park, this shop is a great place to find quality gifts for baby showers. Be sure to follow their blog to get great gift inspiration and stay updated on sale events!

Grasshopper. Located on NE Alberta at 1816, Grasshopper is run by a great group of gals, and offers many organic American-made clothes, as well as an impressive selection of toys and books. Very proud of their extensive collection, Grasshopper’s book selection includes new titles as well as classic favorites, like Blueberries for Sal, and the FunPrint Drawing Book. Other great gift ideas include Baby’s First Canvas Kit, for making prints of baby’s feet and hands, painted canvas nightlights, giraffe growth chart, and sock monkeys, mermaids, and ballerinas. Additionally, Grasshopper offers a multitude of smaller gifts under ten dollars by the register, and a sale bin chock full of goodies. Best of all, gift-wrapping is free! Join Grasshopper’s mailing list online to get up-to-date information about sales and promotions!

A New Twist on the Theme Song

February 15, 2010 by Jade S. | Comments (0)


A Theme Song. Normally when you think of a theme song you think of the first 30 seconds of a TV Show or news broadcast. That annoying thirty second melody that plays over and over in our heads days after we have watched the show. But this week we take a new look at the theme song. We asked around on Twitter and Facebook and came up with a fabulous list of songs people consider their “theme songs” for life.

These are songs that lifts you up and makes you feel good. Songs that starts a fire and keeps you going. Songs that you dance around in your bedroom listening to while you sing into your hair brush. These are the songs that define us. Everyone has one hidden some where inside of them. It might be your phone ring or the song that plays in your headphones while you work out or before a big meeting – whenever you use it and however it makes you feel we thank you all for sharing your themes.

Here is a complete list of the suggested theme songs:

For your listening pleasure go to the complete playlist on the blip.fm page titled CRAVEThemeSongs.

And next time you need a pick me up or inspiration, crank up one of these tunes and sing out – you might be surprised just how good it makes you feel!

Interview with Entrepreness Lisa Watson of Cupcake Jones

February 12, 2010 by Cecilia D. | Comments (1)


Lisa Watson loves to smile, she loves to laugh, to give back, and to share her beloved cupcakes with all her friends and her community. Lisa and her husband Peter are the owners of Cupcake Jones, a sweet cupcake shop on the corner of NW 10th & Everett in the Pearl District. A cozy little shop, as you walk in a glass display showcases some of the most beautiful confections. Depending on the day, the menu changes, but every day there are the staples: The Pearl, Downtown Cupcake Brown, and its infamous Velvet Painting: red velvet cake filled with vanilla bean pastry cream, topped with cream cheese icing and a hand candied rose petal. When I was there to meet Lisa for our interview, I was gifted with a delicious Mimosa Orange, one of February’s cocktail inspired cupcakes served only on Fridays.

I learned a lot about Cupcake Jones by talking to Lisa–that it’s not only there to serve you sweet, savory cakes made by professional pastry chefs, but also to support the community in very special ways, and to serve you and your closest friends on very special days.

We’re so happy you gave Portland a super cute cupcake shop. How did this happen?
My husband, Peter and I fell in love with the idea of it, and it just seemed like the perfect place where we could work together and spend time together. Also, my background is in the food industry so it was just so fitting.

If you could describe what Cupcake Jones is all about in three words, what would they be?
Fun, Quality, and Giving. Cupcake Jones is a fun atmosphere and we all have fun working together. It’s quality not only in the business, but also with the ingredients that are used and the integrity we hold. Lastly, it’s giving because we’ve made it that way since the beginning, and made it our mission to support the community that supports us.

Your staff always seems so happy, they seem to enjoy what they do.
Yes! All our bakers—pastry chefs, have all gone and graduated from culinary school. As professionals in the industry, I feel that makes them more committed to and empathetic of quality and high standards.

What’s a typical day at work like for you? What aspects of the business do you manage?
I manage all the sales and marketing, always thinking of new ways to try and keep Cupcake Jones on top of our customers’ minds. I also handle all the events: community outreach, wedding and catering.

What do you love most about your job?
I love the interaction with customers, especially devoted customers. I love to see all my friends and family who stop by.

You’re open 7 days a week, how to do you find time for yourself and family? What are your ways of relaxing?
[Laughs] Our friends come HERE! It’s been a difficult balancing act since we’ve opened. My husband and I haven’t taken a vacation in three years, but we’re planning our first one now. But it’s always fun working with him here.

So if you had one full day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?
Definitely go to the beach! I also love to read, so it would be great to be able to get some time to just sit down and dive into a novel.


You are highly motivated to give back to the community through weekly donations–Blanchet house, local schools, Boys & Girls Club, animal shelters, etc. How does this work and how can we get involved?
We get a lot of requests for cupcake donations and gift certificates for auctions, amongst other things, and we try to fulfill as many as we can. Every Tuesday, we donate 5% of the sales for that day to a non-profit, which had been selected in a drawing. If you want to give back to your community and to support these organizations, all you have to do is treat yourself to a cupcake!

Your cupcakes give back too–how are they environmentally friendly?
We recycle everything that can be recycled, from packaging to paper towels. We also try to get as many ingredients locally at the Farmer’s Market. There’s low water usage for our fixtures, and we turn off all the lights in the kitchen after we’re done baking for the day.

Your cupcakes are healthier too. Does that mean I get to eat two or three more?
Yes, we never use shortening or artifical flavorings or colorings. That’s why you won’t see the greens and blues on our cakes. We use unsalted butter, natural flavors (like vanilla paste), and we make all our garnishes from scratch—no packaged sprinkles, powder, etc.

What are your most popular flavors?
Hands down, RED VELVET!

I see you’ve done a lot of events and catering. What event comes to mind, or what was the most elaborate project you did for a catered event?
We did a retirement party for a business that’s normally open 24 hours a day, so we did THREE parties in one day, during each shift and baked 160 dozen cupcakes. It was so sweet, the retired President of the company did come to all three shifts and celebrated.

Are you currently working on any new cupcake flavors?
The first year and a half we were all about trying new things, and now that we’ve gotten a better understanding of what our customers want and what sells the best, I think we’ve got our menu secured. Our menu does change every month with new flavors, but January will always have the same menu, February will always have the same menu … so you know what to expect from us and get the flavors you love most!

Lastly, do you plan on opening more locations in the future?
Yes, opening more locations is definitely part of our plan for the future. We actually hope to expand in other states—states that we’d love to visit all the time, of course!

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