Photographer: Ruben Burgos with Lily & Lime, LLC; Florist: YJDecorating; Venue: Ivy Room at Tree Studios
What motivated you to start your business?
When I was in high school, my dream was to own a cookie company. But graduating high school at 17, I was too scared to go after my dreams, and too stubborn to listen to my parents and pursue a degree in business, because after all, if I wanted a cookie business, it only made sense that I learn how to run a business. Instead, I went to college, received a degree in psychology and with every class that I took, I had a new profession in mind. I wanted to be a pediatrician, a marriage counselor, a lawyer, child psychologist, and even an aerobics instructor. I was doing everything I could to prevent myself from doing what I knew I was destined to do. Meanwhile, pastry was still calling my name so I moved to chicago in 2009 to attend the French Pastry School. After several jobs in the industry, I still wanted to own my own business. I acquired Vanille 10 years ago. I didn’t realize a retail bakery was in my destiny, but as I always say, everything happens for a reason.
Years later, once I understood my why, which is bringing people happiness, it all makes sense! And this is what motivates me every day.
Photo by Victoria Sprung (Sprung Photo); @sprungphoto
Do you do anything that is signature to your brand?
Yes, we do two things that are unique to Vanille Cakes.
First, is how we do cake tastings. We serve sample size slices of actual cake flavor combinations and not pieces of cake and fillings to mix and match. We feel, that by tasting the slice, clients get the exact taste, mouthfeel, and correct proportions as their wedding cake will be. There are no surprises then on the day of their wedding. All the flavor combinations on our menu have been approved by our team!
Second, is how we bake and cut cakes. We bake our cakes in sheet trays and cut out the size rounds. This avoids any crusty edges and the edges being over baked. Each bite of cake, down to the end, is exactly the same texture and deliciousness. This also makes for a beautiful photo without any crispy edges around the cake.
How did you handle the pandemic? Did your business model change?
In a lot of ways, the pandemic was one of the best things that happened to me personally. At the end of 2019, we had 4 stores open, two of which weren’t doing well. I was beyond stretched trying to manage everything and found myself being mediocre at best. And mediocre isn’t what Vanille stands for. We made the decision to close one of the stores at the end of 2019 and hoped for better things to come in 2020. When the pandemic hit, we decided to permanently close another store, the location in Hyde Park, and temporarily close the location in the French Market. We kept Lincoln Park open for deliveries and pick up. We started with only retaining our management team, but within a few weeks, we had everyone back on staff. I went into the pandemic with two goals, to generate cash flow and retain jobs. We did that, but even more importantly, I only had one store to focus on and one objective for our customers- to bring joy to them, and we succeeded! I was reminded why I got into this business in the first place, and why I love it! To bring joy and happiness through our sweets! We were inspired by current events, newfound holidays, and any and every reason we could find to enjoy cake! Even without weddings and events, people were finding new ways to celebrate and be reminded of the little things that make us smile.
Photo Credit: Craig OBrist; @craigobrist
What is something you constantly strive for?
Perfection! But perfection isn’t something always attainable. We are human, and businesses are run by humans who make mistakes. But what is important, is how we handle those mistakes and learn from them. Celebrating life’s moments with cakes is super important to us, and we don’t take that job lightly.
What do you think is essential for any wedding?
I’m going to be corny and say LOVE! A wedding is about two people coming together, and the wedding should reflet this amazing union. There is no right way to do a wedding, it’s whatever the couple wants and whatever shows off their personality and unique love story. And yes, unfortunately for us, that sometimes means no cake!
Photo Credit Bonphotage Photography @bonphotage
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