At least, that's what the owner of Molly's Cupcakes (home of the famous and quite delicious Ron Bennington cupcake) thinks! See "Cupcakes proves recession-proof, consumers reap benefits" by Christina Lee (there's a video there too) in Medill Reports:
“It gets cold and depressing and you want something warm and homemade that makes you feel good,” said Walters. “It’s a self-contained piece of cake. If you buy a whole cake you feel like you waste it or have to eat it all.”
Since Phoebe’s opened in April, Walters placed the daily cupcake sales to range from 500 to 1,500, including catering and single cupcake sales at $2.50 each.
The gourmet elements and presentation have solidified a client base for these shops and possibly added a shield of immunity.
Like virtually all cupcake shops, the Sugar Bliss boutique offers specialty flavors, like orange creamsicle and pumpkin patch, and decorates the frosting in a sugar blossom. The individual morsels are $3.50 each and $1.50 for mini-cupcakes at this downtown store.
“Times are very hard and it’s a great place to come get a designer cupcake” said Pat Williams, a teacher at Phillips Academy High School on Chicago’s South Side, when picking up a pastry from Molly’s Cupcakes in Lincoln Park. “This is a way to relax and not necessarily stress about the economic times and yet get that little piece of luxury that didn’t cost you a lot. I love it.”
As for market saturation, some storeowners are unconcerned and even view more boutiques' opening favorably.
“Everytime a new cupcake place has opened, our sales have gone up,” said John Nicolaides, who owns Molly’s Cupcakes with his brother. “I’ve noticed it because four have opened since we opened and it’s always been positive for us. In some regard, I want another one to open so we can have more sales.”
“It gets cold and depressing and you want something warm and homemade that makes you feel good,” said Walters. “It’s a self-contained piece of cake. If you buy a whole cake you feel like you waste it or have to eat it all.”
Since Phoebe’s opened in April, Walters placed the daily cupcake sales to range from 500 to 1,500, including catering and single cupcake sales at $2.50 each.
The gourmet elements and presentation have solidified a client base for these shops and possibly added a shield of immunity.
Like virtually all cupcake shops, the Sugar Bliss boutique offers specialty flavors, like orange creamsicle and pumpkin patch, and decorates the frosting in a sugar blossom. The individual morsels are $3.50 each and $1.50 for mini-cupcakes at this downtown store.
“Times are very hard and it’s a great place to come get a designer cupcake” said Pat Williams, a teacher at Phillips Academy High School on Chicago’s South Side, when picking up a pastry from Molly’s Cupcakes in Lincoln Park. “This is a way to relax and not necessarily stress about the economic times and yet get that little piece of luxury that didn’t cost you a lot. I love it.”
As for market saturation, some storeowners are unconcerned and even view more boutiques' opening favorably.
“Everytime a new cupcake place has opened, our sales have gone up,” said John Nicolaides, who owns Molly’s Cupcakes with his brother. “I’ve noticed it because four have opened since we opened and it’s always been positive for us. In some regard, I want another one to open so we can have more sales.”
Comments