The Conclusion of "As The Cupcake Turns..."

The last time we left the situation of the new cupcake shop that opened up in DC, I had tried to order a substantial amount of cupcakes for the Labor Day BBQ I was having. This was when I was informed of a few things: they weren't taking orders over the phone, they didn't have the mini-cupcakes that they advertised on their website, and they seemed to be totally unprepared to open for business as they couldn't fulfill the demand of a potential customer. It wasn't like I was asking for 100 cupcakes - I was merely trying to order two dozen.

If you've been keeping up with this saga, you then know that I was told that I could come into the Dupont shop as they sold on a first come, first serve basis. And that is exactly what I did. Before I took Amanda to the airport on Saturday morning, we drove into Dupont to get my two dozen cupcakes. What happened when we got into the store? This...

I was greeted by a very comforting atmosphere and of course extremely enticing cupcakes displayed behind a plexi-glass window. The salesperson asked if he might help me. I told him that I wanted to purchase cupcakes - two dozen to be exact. This is when I was given 'the look.' The look that I might have been crazy. Another sales person approached, after overhearing my request and looked at me gravely. The original salesperson said, 'We're only limiting people to four today.' Limiting? How do you put a limit on a good you're providing? The ONLY good you're providing? This isn't exactly concert tickets to see Madonna. Well I turned 'that look' right back on them and I said, 'I called to order but I was told to come in person to get them.' That's when they tried to feed me the same malarchy about how they couldn't predict demand and blah blah blah. That's when I turned to Amanda and said, 'This wouldn't have happened if they had a good business plan.' I said it loud enough that they could hear my comment but soft enough as not to disrupt other customers.

Finally, what I could only think was the owner, came up to me and she said, 'Let me go check in the back to see if we have the inventory.'
"LADY! It's 11am in the morning - you've been opened for ONE freakin' hour - I think you have inventory."
She finally came back and said she could fulfill my order. As the salesperson was prepping the boxes for my cupcakes, the owner started in about how she only has one chef and shift making cupcakes and they already start at midnight. Until she can add another shift, they can't fulfill these large orders. Ummm - I don't need to be a business major to tell you that THAT should've been planned for way in advance...maybe she should've doled out extra for more ovens. Maybe she should've planned to start with two chefs and two shifts rather than one. All I know is the business plan must've SUCKED at this point. Cause after telling me her sob story, I did not reply with a 'I understand.' No sir.

As if fighting to get two dozen cupcakes wasn't enough, when I was paying (these are no cheap cupcakes mind you) for my two sizable boxes of cupcakes, I asked if I could get a bag for the boxes. This is when I got the proverbial slap in the face (as if fighting for two dozen cupcakes wasn't enough) that the shop is eco-friendly so they don't provide bags. But they do have boxes with handles on them....but they just don't have them YET.

And this concludes are saga of the little cupcake shop that couldn't deliver (on all their promises).

Epilogue: Everyone at the BBQ enjoyed the cupcakes - they're good cupcakes...moist, rich with icing and very appealing to the eater- but after telling my tale about going through the pains of trying to get these cupcakes and the resistance I had to put up with to get a cupcake store to sell me their cupcakes, no one was sold on the place. Will I ever go back for their cupcakes? Probably not. There are so many more cupcake shops that opened up in DC that need to be tried and tested.