The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Amherst cupcake shop back after closure
Little Devil Cupcakery known for award-winning desserts
Little Devil Cupcakery offers award-winning desserts right in the heart of downtown Amherst.
Little Devil Cupcakery offers award-winning desserts right in the heart of downtown Amherst.
The shop, like a lot of Ohio businesses, is working to get back to where it was before having to shut down for the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“I closed for eight weeks for COVID,” said Kristin Dimacchia, owner of the cupcake shop located at 103 Milan Ave. “My last day was March 21, and my official day back was May 20.
“I missed out on weddings, graduations, Mother’s Day and all that stuff. I lost thousands of dollars.”
Dimacchia said she’s glad orders were cancelled prior to the closure.
“I bake everything fresh the day of, so I’m glad everyone cancelled the day prior to me closing down,” she said. “It was zero income, so that sucked.
“I came back with changed hours and days. My orders are coming in pretty good. I usually do those on Friday and Saturdays, and I’ve been booking those three weeks in advance. The walk-ins are still slow.”
Dimacchia said she likes to rotate the flavors she bakes on a weekly basis.
“I do 12 flavors a week,” she said. “I have six favorites that I do every week, and I have six gourmet flavors that change from week-to-week.
“I try to split it up with some fruit-based, some vanilla-based, some chocolate-based, some nut ones and some non nut ones. I try to mix it up.
“The different flavors are on the website. The ones that don’t sell as well, I take off. I also do brownies, cookies, turnovers and cannolis.”
Dimacchia said her cupcakes have received many accolades.
Award winning cupcakes
“I’ve won a few different awards for cupcakes,” she said. “I won the 2019 Sweetest Bakery in Ohio.
“Last year, I was in the top 10 for Cleveland’s Best (for desserts). I squeaked in at number 10. Michael Symon was ‘eight,’ so I was happy to squeak in behind him.
“Individually, my salted caramel cupcake is what I’ve won awards for. The judges, for these, graded me on a lot. They cover the cake, frosting and were very thorough on the presentation of the cupcake.”
Dimacchia said her business started from home in 2009.
“I then opened a brick and mortar store in Lorain,” she said. “Almost three years ago, I moved here to Amherst. I moved from Lorain because the location was not the best.
“The store was kind of tucked away, with an awning covering it.
“A lot of people didn’t know I was there, and it looked dark all the time with the awning. But, customers followed me from Lorain, so the community has been really supportive.”
Dimacchia said she gets a lot of repeat customers.
“I’ve got customers that have been ordering from me since 2009,” she said. “I have done a lot of events for the same people.
“I’ve had some people where I did their wedding, their shower and then their gender reveal, first birthdays and so on. So, I’ve had a lot of repeat customers.”
Safety
Dimacchia said she has made changes to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“The store is limited to five customers at a time,” she said. “I’m wearing a mask.
“I’m not requiring customers to wear masks, but I do ask that they stand six feet apart and practice social distancing.”