Tuesday, Feb. 22 2011 5:20PM
Let them eat (cup) cake
Cupcake store, fitness center open in LS
Emily Jarrett, Journal Staff
Emily Jarrett, the Journal
Rows of freshly decorated “The Hostess” cupcakes line the shelves at Smallcakes A Cupcakery, located in the Summit Fair Shopping Center. Smallcakes has 15 different flavors of cupcakes including red velvet, pumpkin and birthday cake.
Print
E-Mail
AIM
Reprinttool name
closeEditor’s Note: This is another installment of the Journal’s ongoing business roundup series.
It all started in Atlanta, with a cupcake store that wasn’t great.
“I’m from Atlanta and whenever my wife and I would go back home for a visit, we’d always see this cupcake store,” Jeff Martin said. “The cupcakes weren’t very good but we thought it was a great model – that was all they made and sold.”
So Martin and his wife, Brandy, decided to bring the concept back to Kansas City and Smallcakes A Cupcakery was born. The Lee’s Summit location will be the couple’s third in the metro area and Martin couldn’t be more excited.
“We started in Overland Park, Kan. then we opened a store in Olathe, Kan. but we’d always get customers telling us to come to Lee’s Summit,” he said. “I hadn’t been here very much, but we checked it out and thought it’d be perfect for our third store.”
Smallcakes is located in the Summit Fair Shopping Center and though it’s only been open a week, business is booming.
“We’ve had people lined up everyday and the response has been great. I guess we made the right location choice,” he said with a laugh.
Smallcakes specializes in 15 different flavors of cupcakes – everything from classic flavors such as red velvet, vanilla and chocolate to more decadent flavors like peanut butter cup and hot fudge sundae.
“We get a lot of feedback from our customers – ‘what do you think about this? Would you try that?’ It’s nice to get their opinions before we roll out a new flavor,” Martin said.
What sets Smallcakes a part from other bakeries is a commitment to quality products, Martin said.
“We bake all day long, in small batches,” he said. “Some bakeries will refrigerate their products to keep them longer, but at the end of the day we throw away anything left over. We want our customers to have the best, freshest cupcakes possible.”
As for Martin’s favorite flavor? That’s easy – red velvet.
“It’s as close to my wife’s grandmother’s recipe as humanly possible,” he joked. “We’ll keep trying though.”
Smallcakes is located at 880 N.W. Blue Parkway in the Summit Fair Shopping Center. Business hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 816-554-7400 or go to www.smallcakeskc.com
DMG’S Fitness Reality
Damien Gonzales doesn’t like the word “gym.”
“I don’t like gyms. They’re impersonal and even if you’re working there as a trainer, you can’t really do what you want,” he said. “I was just sort of fed up with the whole scene.”
So Gonzales created his own personal training studio – DMG’S Fitness Reality – in downtown Lee’s Summit. Gonzales, along with his partner and nutritionist Michael Moore, have a combined 45 years of experience in the fitness business.
“In the last year, I’ve had three people lose more than 100 pounds each,” Gonzales said. “That’s what I love helping with. I can train anyone, but I have a niche training women who need to lose a significant amount of weight.”
DMG’S is a personal, one-on-one training studio and clients are encouraged to bring their own music and generally have fun.
“We’re a one-stop shop. We have training, massage therapy, tanning and showers,” Gonzales said. “Something that I think sets us apart from your average gym is that we are private. Gyms tend to be male-dominated with a bunch of guys running around trying to look impressive. At our studio, we don’t have that.
“I want our studio to be a place where people can get started on the road to a healthier life.”
DMG’S Fitness Reality is located at 224 S.W. Main St. Business hours are Monday through Friday by appointment, 5 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and the studio is closed on Sundays. For more information, call 816-806-1286 or 816-347-9906.
The Free Store
The Free Store, a store dedicated to providing free clothes, food, toys and household items, will close Feb. 26.
The Free Store will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Feb. 26. All items that remain after Saturday will be given to shelters and other charitable organizations.
To reach Journal reporter Emily Jarrett, call 816-282-7018 or e-mail ejarrett@lsjournal.com.
