Coming soon: A Cupcake Shop That Will Sweeten the Town
Sugar on Top brings the cupcake craze to State College in a shop that’s just as flavorful as its cupcakes.
The furniture, including a recliner that used to belong to an area hospital, comes from Craig’s List and the Penn State surplus store, while the walls of the 1,700 square foot space are painted pink and robin’s egg blue. The shop is the creation of Shaunda Lohse, a self-proclaimed “bohemian” who wears chipped nailed polish and red cheetah pants—and pulls it off.
Lohse, beleaguered by financial and marital problems, was living in a local women’s shelter when her sister suggested that cupcakes could be her salvation. “She called me and said, ‘I’m eating a $2 cupcake.’ And I said, ‘You’re crazy.’”
After getting her own place to live, she kept hearing more about gourmet cupcakes and took it as a sign. After a few failed batches, a neighbor tried her “Raspberry Lemonade,” a cupcake made with Meyer lemon zest and frosted with raspberry buttercream frosting, and bought a dozen. Friends helped spread the word about her unusual creations and before long, Lohse, a mother of three, traded her McDonald’s uniform for an apron.
The shop sells eight flavors, including the “We Are…” (a blue cocoa cake toped with vanilla cream cheese frosting) and the signature “Pancakes and Bacon” (frosted with a maple syrup buttercream glaze and topped with a piece of candied applewood bacon). She’s hoping future flavor ideas will come from her customers, some of who may add their suggestions on one of the walls leading out to the bathroom; she painted it a light color so people can write on it.
Depending on when you come, you may see parents taking advantage of the child-friendly vibe or students enjoying the free coffee, Wi-Fi, and juke box tunes. And check her Facebook page for special events, such as cupcake decorating classes for the kids. “So no one has to wake up that morning and say, “What am I going to do with the kids today?”
As for Lohse, she’ll be the one wearing a pink flower in her hair, whipping up cupcakes and, most likely, dancing. “Last year I was on the floor crying saying, ‘I want it to be next year,’” she recalls. “Well, you know what? It’s next year.”
Sugar on Top is located on an alley around the corner from Rita’s at 121 1/2 Beaver Avenue. The shop may be opening Saturday–check out Sugar on Top’s Facebook page for updates, or call 814.808.6108. Help us promote the shop by spreading the word about a fun contest to win a dozen cupcakes!
This entry was posted on Friday, April 9th, 2010 at 2:56 pm and is filed under Food, Shop. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
