An article by our very own Steve Day was published in the February 2015 MSCA newsletter about our Nadia Cakes project. Read the re-post of the article below:
Just in time for Valentine’s Day is the arrival of the latest store from Nadia Cakes. The eastern Twin Cities will now get to taste the decadent cupcakes that are the signature item baked at this expanding dessert retailer. The new 2,700 sf bakery/café on Commerce Drive in Woodbury will be the third company store, and second in Minnesota. The new location will add ice cream to the menu of cupcakes (boasting over 150 flavors!), custom cakes, and a variety of drinks.
The store, designed by Shea, is centered around the incredible display of cupcakes and desserts, including the use of a cake-inspired ceiling soffit overhead with an antique chandelier. The space has a variety of seating, including a community table for decorating parties, and comfortable lounge furniture surrounding a fireplace.
Nadia Cakes is the brainchild of Abby Jimenez, a former general manager in the retail sector, who turned to her passion for baking desserts as a way to work out of her home in Palmdale, CA while she raised three young daughters.
Within two years, the business outgrew the home-based model, so with the help of family and friends, she opened the first Nadia Cakes retail location in Palmdale, CA. Within two months, the success of the store led her husband Carlos to also give up his full time job and join the company as CFO.
Abby and Carlos relocated their family to Minnesota in 2011 and opened their second store at the Fountains of Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove. The concept has attracted a very loyal and rabid customer base and has won numerous awards for their products. Nadia Cakes has also made waves on a national scale, with victories on the Food Network’s “Cupcake Wars” and “Holiday Baking Championship”. Future plans include a measured growth strategy with tactical expansion in other states.
Come treat yourself or your significant other this Valentine’s Day with something from Nadia Cakes!