Cupcake bakery the ‘right fit’
Inside Out Bakery owner adds business to address ‘need for allergen control’
CUPCAKE CONSPIRACY
Lucille McInnes spent most of her career as what she calls a “serial entrepreneur,” chasing opportunities in fields as diverse as wedding photography and marketing consulting.
Then, about 21/2 years ago, she was diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by a reaction to gluten. Going gluten-free convinced the Osler-area native that Saskatoon’s market for celiac-friendly baking was untapped.
“This May, it’ll be two years (since) I started construction of Inside Out Bakery, and Inside Out Bakery is a really restrictive allergen-free facility — absolutely no peanuts, tree nuts, gluten or dairy are allowed in the facility, period,” McInnes said.
In February, she bought Cupcake Conspiracy, a downtown bakery specializing in high-quality sweet treats. She envisioned it as the perfect complement for Inside Out, which is located in the city’s north industrial area.
“Cupcake Conspiracy is the only other nut-free (retail bakery) in the city,” she said. “And I was looking for an opportunity to have several kitchens that were capable of doing different things so that we could accommodate more combinations of allergies.”
McInnes said Cupcake Conspiracy — which will not go gluten-free — was the “right fit” because it expands her operation’s capacity to bake egg- and dairy-free products, as well as goods designed to be diabetic-friendly.
It’s part of her plan to make following a strict diet easy — and tasty.
“There’s a growing number of people with severe food intolerances and allergies,” she said. “What really stood out to me was the social exclusion that happens and how people are looked at funny because they have to eat differently. “And that really bothered me.” The combination of Inside Out and Cupcake Conspiracy — where she plans to expand the product range considerably and offer Inside Out products — makes it easier to address the city’s “real need” for “more extensive allergen control,” she said.
“It’s not just about cupcakes anymore.” Cupcake Conspiracy Address: 157 Second Ave. North Phone: 306-374-5401 Web: Cupcakeconspiracy.ca Hours: Monday to Saturday, 10
a.m. to 6 p.m.
THE MOVEMENT YXE
Pilates is a person, an internationally recognized physical fitness regime and, according to Chrissy Kuny, a way to make everyone’s lives better.
“We really believe that any movement is good movement, but great movement is better — and we love teaching great movement,” said Kuny, who with her husband Rich opened The Movement YXE, a Pilates studio in downtown Saskatoon.
Pilates was developed in the early 20th century by the German physical trainer Joseph Pilates. It combines simple movements with several types of apparatus and demands concentration and control. Kuny started taking Pilates classes about 10 years ago. She “instantly fell in love,” she said.
“I loved it so much for myself and then, once I started teaching, I realized how much I loved enabling people to kind of take hold of their own life and inspiring them to be better,” she said, noting that her acting and performing background made teaching a natural fit.
The Movement YXE is the Kunys’ first business venture. It is also unlike other Pilates studios in that, instead of separating customers based on their ability, it divides them in terms of what they want to do. Kuny said the strategy alleviates the boredom she felt in countless beginnerlevel classes and makes the regime more accessible.
“It’s like, ‘What do you want today?’ If you want to get your butt kicked, then take a class that’s going to kick your butt. If you want to get stretched, then take a class that’s going to stretch you,” she said, noting that The Movement YXE offers classes focused on “length,” “strength,” “technique” and the full Pilates repertoire.
The Movement YXE opened March 12. Over the last three weeks, Kuny said her plans to expose a “new demographic” to the fitness system she adores are taking shape.
While she hopes her clients will enjoy the experience, her vision for the business is even broader.
“We’re making it so much more attainable for people, so I’m really excited to see how Pilates make all of our clients, our entire community, just move a little bit better,” she said. The Movement YXE Address: 14 23rd St. East Phone: 306-979-6683 Web: Themovementyxe.com Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.