Saturday 11 July 2009

Cutie Cups


Just to reinforce on the absolute smallness of Tasmania, I’d like to recount a little story from yesterday.

I was at Tas Hotel and Club yesterday afternoon doing a bit of business and generally chatting to staff there about this and that in the world of hospitality. Having heard earlier this week (when I was in Launceston) about the new Cutie Cups place starting up next week in the Mall, and having added that fact to my News/gossip section on Wednesday, I asked Steven (Sales Rep at Hotel and Club) if Hotel & Club had done the fitout there.

Not only had he not done the fitout, but he hadn’t heard anything about it, so I was in the midst of explaining what I’d heard about when the only other customer in the shop, who happened to be standing right beside me, chimed into the conversation, asking “Are you talking about me?”

Yes, you’re right! It was indeed the lovely young lady (Shenna I think her name is) who is indeed opening her cupcakes and coffee takeaway shop in the Mall next week!

And not only did she confirm all I’d heard, but she just happened to have a sample of her cupcakes in the car – which she promptly popped outside and bought back for Rita (and Hotel & Club staff) to try!

Now if that isn’t great marketing, I honestly don’t know what is, because I’ve told 10 people about the product, and shop, already, and am now writing about it here.

This enterprising woman has a website, a fabulous-sounding cupcake menu, and advertises that she will send a bunch of cupcakes as a present to the person of your choice – you select what cupcakes you want delivered and she will have them delivered complete with ribbon and gift card!

What a perfect gift to receive! By the way, the cupcakes were gorgeous! You're a mug if you don't pop in to Cutie Cups!

Address: 44 Elizabeth Street, Hobart
Phone number: 0418 311 152
Posted on by Rita
25 comments

25 comments:

Nola said...

Mmmm, sounds good. Perhaps a little lunch time excursion. There are no secrets in Tassie Rita (and don't I know that!)

Anonymous said...

How many cup cakes must a cup cake shop sell to pay the rent on a small but expensive lease in the No.1 rental position in Hobart ?
Good luck I hope the business plan was water tight.
Sydney seems to have shrugged of the cup cake revolution, Melbourne does it well but in a small niche way.

Interesting to see Oomph on the move and expanding into Macquarie St.
Good position - seems they have done their homework.

Cool Room

Anonymous said...

just walked past... not open yet...

sigh... had to get a muffin from the old 4Lunch instead..

TJ

Anonymous said...

cup cake schmuck cake

Christina said...

Great web site. First thing I look for.

Anonymous said...

was rather happy with my vanilla cutie cup... now to work my way up through the menu!

TJ

Rita said...

Thank god they were open for you today TJ!

Anonymous said...

well well, i had my first experience today with cuti cups and MY GOD, i am addicted!! service was amazing and the cupcakes are too addictive!!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know the opening hours? I went today at 3:45 and they were closed. I was counting on a cup cake to get me through the afternoon!

Anonymous said...

i know they open at 7:30 and i have been told they close when they SELL OUT, which is around 3/4. They have been cooking more every day to keep up with the supply demand.

Priscilla Queen of the Dessert said...

Cutie Cups hit the media.

Anonymous said...

Hey Cool Room
To answer your question:
2000 cup cakes per day
Say 6 day week = 12000 per week
Say 50 weeks to allow for a few days off = 600,000
At an average of say $4 each that is a turnover of $2.4 million.
Thats without the coffee, they don't have time to make that anyway.
So I reckon they cover the rent of about $50 OK.

Holy Cow, there is some money in the food business!

P

our man in Canberra said...

Sounds good but my inner linguist is still trying to work out exactly when the patty cakes of days gone by morphed into cup cakes.

Duck leg said...

So Rita - Do we know the reason behind the business being up for sale? Would it be the hype is over and business isnt going that well or does Shanna have big fish to fry else where?

Anonymous said...

I will make the following comments:

1. Months ago there was rumour that cutie cups were opening a second outlet... That has not occured yet.

2. It's a trend. The business was always going to be popular when it opened, but after that? How did it go?

3. Small business owners get burnt out and fed up very quickly.

Anonymous said...

overpriced unhealthy cupcakes -- yuck

Anonymous said...

Cupcakes-more like Yuk-cakes!

Anonymous said...

Funnily enough, my first post on facebook this year was I have no resolutions, but I hope the cupcake beast dies this year...

Anonymous said...

Why did the cupcake craze die in tassie so much quicker than the rest of the world?! Tall poppy syndrome?

Anonymous said...

the cupcakes are a disgrace in my opinion, but sorry to hear about her problems.

Anonymous said...

ppfffttt

Anonymous said...

fair enough that you have stuck up for her, but do you think Shanna would have wanted her personal life displayed for all to see on the internet?

Anonymous said...

get over yourself, you wrote what her problems are/were. this is a public forum, it dosnt matter what or if. but the cupcakes are still average

Anonymous said...

If I were Shanna I would be more upset about you spreading personal details and problems on the net; than a couple of people voicing their opinion on the business.

G

Anonymous said...

Annnnnd like they say in the movies, it's GONE. finished, closed and done and dusted.

It was a TREND.

A very short lived trend.