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The Cake Box was intended to be a place for Gregory and her partner, Robert Byrnes, to bake, decorate and sell specialty cakes with cupcakes as a sideline. But since they opened two-and-a-half years ago, the cupcakes have taken over.
So much so that a month ago they moved from their first storefront at Copps Hill Commons and into a bigger space next to TerraSole off Main Street.
“We ran out of space pretty quickly after we moved in” to Copps Hill, Gregory said. “So the problem was that we didn’t have a separate decorating space there. We were trying to do all the decorating and all the baking in one kitchen.”
But with the popularity of cupcakes growing, she said, more space and a bigger seating area were needed. The move allowed them to open up more of a storefront to include espresso drinks and breakfast goods such as muffins, as well as places to sit down.
When it comes to the cakes, Gregory said Byrnes is the master decorator. “He has a real knack,” they discovered after Gregory finished culinary school at the Institute of Culinary Education.
“Everything we make is all natural,” and is made fresh in the morning, said Gregory, adding they do sometimes run out of cupcakes as the day goes on.
All of the recipes, from the cake batters to the cookies and frosting, are of Gregory’s own creation. “I would spend all day in the kitchen testing recipes if I could,” she said. “It’s my favorite thing to do. It’s why I went to school for it.”
But she doesn't get to do it as often. “I’m running the business,” Gregory said. “Owning a small business is really hard, a lot harder than I thought.”
Since the business moved a little more than a month ago, it’s like starting over again, rebuilding foot traffic and making sure customers know where they are, she said.
“You’re only as good as your last week,” Gregory said. But she said, as a mom it’s been great.
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