Polka Dot Bake Shop to open in Charlotte, NC in October

Yes, another bakery! "Ready for a cupcake shop?" Charlotte Observer, September 26, 2007

The cupcake craze that has swept through cities like New York and San Francisco is coming to Charlotte, when Polka Dot Bake Shop opens next month in Parktowne Village near Woodlawn and Park roads.

"We realized that Charlotte didn't have an upscale cupcake bakery," says co-owner Michelle Miller.

Miller and her partner, Jennifer Chapman, expect to open by Oct. 20 or 27....

The bakery will open in the spot that used to hold the Wing Stop, behind Total Wine & More. Cupcakes probably will be $2.50 each, although Chapman said prices are still being set. Shop hours are expected to be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

Comments

Anonymous said…
i just went there to get about 6 differnt flavors last week...my friends and i tried each one and honestly, yuck.
Anonymous said…
has anyone else tried them yet?
Anonymous said…
Yes...I've tried them...they are just OK nothing special...way too expensive to buy consistently...and the shop itself is lacking something...they will need to expand into some other bakery products to keep the interest...what we need in Charlotte is a really good old fashioned bakery!!
Anonymous said…
Yes, I agree with you about the lack of bakeries in Charlotte. Athough, I think the "cupcake" bakery would do well, but different location and like you said, the store needs a makeover. I took a visitor there saturday the 29th of December, and there was a sign on the door that they were closed from Dec. 21st-Jan 3 for holiday vacation...how can a new business like that afford to take off during what would be the busiest time of year?
Anonymous said…
I just discovered this blog today. Bummer that you didn't enjoy Polka Dot Bake Shop. I've been several times and have always been happy with the cupcakes. You can tell they are baked from scratch-something most bakeries don't do anymore. Their Tuxedo is my favorite one. I see your point about the decor, although I was in the store last week and they are definitely doing something to spiff things up. As for the holiday vacation, I used to work in a retail bakery and, believe it or not, the week between Christmas and New Year's is absolutely dead, so it doesn't surprise me that they closed for the week. I spoke to one of the owners last week and their longterm plan is definitely to branch out from cupcakes. I'll try whatever they make!!!
Anonymous said…
The previous post sounds like one of the owners or obviosly a friend.
Anonymous said…
obviously (sic)
Anonymous said…
i thought the same thing...i took the word of the "person" leaving the comment and went back in for 2 different flavors...my first instinct was correct...i can live without the decor and the cupcakes from now on.
Anonymous said…
There is a "real" bakery in Charlotte - Suarez at Park Road Shopping Center is really great and very reasonably priced
Anonymous said…
Thank you...i will check them out! If you happen to get over to the french bakey in NODA that just opened (Amelies), let me know if its any good!
Tammy said…
Can't say that I agree with the Suarez recommendation. A friend of mine had them make her wedding cake. It had no flavor! It was so bad that she didn't bother keeping the top layer! They're still trying to figure out what to do for their first year anniversary!
Anonymous said…
Suarez Bakery is ok for cookies... but the shop itself is disgusting. It looks dirty. They have a long way to go on presentation.
Anonymous said…
you know, i drove by and looked in the window....not appealing, you are so right about the cleanliness.

I went into Nova's bakery to get some things last week and i was pretty happy about it.

if anyone goes into the new bakery, Amelie's in NOda, let me know!!
Anonymous said…
Randomly happened upon this blog . . .
Amelie's is excellent. I own a business in Noda and drive by on an almost daily basis. It is hard NOT to stop and pick up several things. They are still working on the technical side of things (order planning, how much to make, etc) but the treats are yummy. No cupcakes here but the cases are full of croissants, tarts, cakes, infused mousse cups, eclairs, etc. Raspberry almond tea cakes are my personal favorite. They also make fresh breads and are trying out several non-sweet 'savories' for breakfast and lunch. Well worth the calories :)
Anonymous said…
Thank you for letting me know!! My mouth is watering already! I'll be sure to check it out asap!
Anonymous said…
I went in earlier today and was pleasantly suprised!!! I had a strawberries & cream cupcake that had a whip cream topping. It was delicious! I took a peanut butter cupcake home for my girlfriend and she loved it! I do agree about the decor- could use a more modern look, but the product is amazing!!! i highly recomend this bakery!
Incognito1922 said…
OK, I was going to try the Polka Dot Bake Shop this weekend since I have a craving for cupcakes. On second thought, from reading the comments, think I'll bake my own from scratch and enjoy them. Too bad, I was looking forward to it.
Stacy said…
Don't waste your time baking your own. Polka Dot Bake Shop is wonderful. Their cupcakes are little slices of heaven! We always get them for our office and they are devoured SO fast!
Jane said…
After this weekend, I just had to add my two cents here. I usually bake my kids' birthday cakes myself but was swamped last week and decided to get one from Polka Dot. They push the cupcakes together and frost it like a cake. I ordered a Diego theme and it was adorable! I stuck with vanilla and chocolate since it was for 3 year olds but luckily, I got enough for the Moms, too. It was the hit of the party! The Moms ate as much as the kids. The cupcakes were very fresh and tasty. Who cares about the decor - it's simple and clean and that's all that matters to me. If you've ever been to Magnolia in NYC, you'll know that decor is not a priority there and they still have amazing cupcakes and a line out the door.
Jenn said…
My name is Jenn and I am one of the owners of Polka Dot Bake Shop. I am happy to read the discussions about the Charlotte bakery scene and I am glad to see everyone's support of the local bakeries. Suarez, Amelie's and Nova are all great businesses that have something to offer everyone.

For our fans that have written on this blog, thank you very much for taking the time to write a review. We greatly appreciate your business!

Our cupcakes are made from scratch each morning and we strive for a great-tasting, fresh product each and every day. We stand by our products and take great pride in the level of customer service that we provide.

We regret that some of you did not have an experience that exceeded your expectations. If you were not completely satisfied with your cupcakes, we hope that you will contact us directly so that we can provide you with a full refund. Please allow us the opportunity to make it right. In addition, constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. All feedback, both good and bad, is necessary in order for us to continually improve our product and our processes.

Thank you!
Polka Dot Bake Shop
Anonymous said…
Jen, as one of the owners of "Amelie's" I so appreciate your comments about wanting to make it right, and wanting constructive critisism! I stress every day that something might slip by me that is not 100% PERFECT (it can happen), or that someone just doesn't like. I'm always asking my regular comments for critique, not just praise. That is so much more valuable to me.

A word to all customers - if you're ever not satisfied with a product, most owners of ANY business, not just bakeries, would really appreciate hearing about it and being given the chance to make it right. You are, after all, the people who pay our bills, and we want happy customers!

Cheers!
Lynn
Anonymous said…
I have purchased cupcakes from Polka Dot on many occasions and have been extremely happy with them. They are yummy and the price is reasonable. In addition, they have wonderful customer service which is hard to come by these days!
teoptnelis said…
I pride myself in being the "cupcake tester" of Charlotte, established when I worked as a project manager to create a city guidebook of women businesses in Charlotte (and there are a great number of cupcakeries out there!). I have had my share of dry cakes before, but the cupcakes at Polka Dot Bake Shop are superbly moist compared to others I have tasted. I even saved some of my cupcake for the next day, and it was still surprisingly moist! While some places (but not all) have cupcakes that are heavy and much too sugary, their cupcakes were light and airy with just the right hint of sweetness. As for the staff, the workers inside immediately greeted myself and my friend, and were readily available to let me know a little more about the different cupcakes and desserts they had on display. They were friendly, talkative and knowledgeable, and I thought all their desserts were affordable. All-in-all, my experience with Polka Dot Bake Shop was an A+. And as a person who constantly works with numerous business owners, I gotta say that Polka Dot Bake Shop is well-known for their excellent baked goods and known to have a great follower base of loyal customers and other business owners. Of course, word of mouth goes a long way, so I had to check them out for myself! I was definitely pleased.