Flirty Cupcakes is now both a food truck and a storefront bakery

An Associated Press story highlights the age of the food truck, especially the business side, and looks at Flirty Cupcakes, which now also has a storefront bakery at 1030 West Taylor Street in Chicago:
Flirty Cupcakes, located in Chicago, started its first truck in May 2010 and added a second one that December. The $60,000 startup cost for each was significantly less than the $150,000 it took to open a bakery and restaurant in February. The low cost of operating the truck allowed owner Tiffany Kurtz to use the money she made to save up to open the store. Having the store solved another problem. Cart and truck operators often must rent space in commercial kitchens to prepare the food that they sell. But the popularity of carts and food trucks has resulted in big demand for kitchen space. And as their sales grow, owners need to rent more time. Kurtz found that she couldn't get all the time she needed to make her Devil in Disguise, Paradise Island, For the Love of Chocolate and other cupcakes. Having a bakery as part of the Flirty Cupcakes restaurant has eliminated that challenge. The space also is big enough to house her two trucks, which still hit the streets selling treats.

But running a mobile food business isn't a drive down easy street. There's a lot of work involved. A Flirty Cupcakes truck can make six stops a day. Each time it has to be set up and then broken down when it's time to leave. A restaurant doesn't need to be set up and broken down as much.
And a few photos from the Flirty Cupcakes Facebook page, where you can get the latest news, as well as @FlirtyCupcakeson Twitter and flirtycupcakes.com.







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