South-side dessert shop taps into downtown

Six-year-old south-side dessert shop Star Cakes LLC launched its second store downtown.

The company that does business as Star Cakes Bakery opened for First Friday Art Walk on March 3, said co-owner Ted Cothran.

“We were presented with an opportunity downtown,” he said, noting the company was originally in talks to open another store in partnership with Orange Leaf but plans fell through. “In five and a half years, we haven’t really concentrated much past Sunshine.”

Star Cakes, which opened in 2011 at 1364 E. Republic Road, signed a deal to sublease 1,000 square feet at 310 S. Campbell Ave. from Distorted Utopia LLC owners Minda Weigand and Amanda Kennell for $1,200 a month. The clothes and accessories store operates in the other 2,000 square feet, Cothran said. The building next door to Springfield Hot Glass is owned by Scott Tillman via Turner Store Redevelopment LLC.

Declining to disclose revenue, Cothran said cupcakes and cakes are the main source of sales for Star Cakes. The company also has begun making wedding cakes.

The downtown store employs two to three in addition to the 10 workers on Republic Road.