The last time we spoke to local baker Robyn Selders, she was teaching full time and baking part time. That often meant waking up as early as 2 a.m. to squeeze in time to make her custom orders from home.
Five months later, Selders is a full-time baker and the owner of the new Cupcake Junkie shop.
The self-taught baker never imagined that when she resigned from teaching in May 2017, she’d find a storefront a month later. The same month she left teaching, she used her savings to buy commercial kitchen equipment and hold it in storage in hopes she’d use it for a bakery one day.
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“When I bought it, I didn’t have anywhere to put a commercial oven,” Selders says. “All I knew was that one day I’d have a storefront. So, I just bought that oven on faith.”
In July 2017, Robyn received the keys to her space and on Aug. 25-26, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., she will host the grand opening of her Cupcake Junkie storefront.
Located in the Lake Park shopping center on Coursey Boulevard, Cupcake Junkie is nestled between Baton Rouge Dance Connection and Looks Hair Salon. Inside, the bakery is bright and colorful. The walls are painted in different shades of blue and orange, a theme that carries throughout the store.
At the entrance, customers are greeted by a large glass case of baked treats ranging from classic cupcakes to bundt cakes. On the left of the entrance, a lounge area with retro-modern blue, brown and orange furniture allows cupcake lovers to eat, relax and make use of the store’s free wifi.
In addition to the bold wall colors, a splattered paint-like mural near the register might take the cake. The vibrant and warm mural was painted by local artist Marc Verett, also known as Marc Fresh. He’s also painted murals for other businesses including Tiger Deaux-nuts, French Truck Coffee, City Pork and Southfin Poke.
In front of the Cupcake Junkie mural is a vintage school desk and chair, which pay homage to Selders’ former teaching career.
“I think when everyone walks in they love the mural. That’s their favorite part,” Selders says.
Selders’ favorite part is the distressed metal signs atop the glass case with chalkboard panels. Like the light fixtures above the register, the baked goods signs bring a style Selders wanted to include in her store.
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Cupcake Junkies’ grand opening will include music, free cupcake samples, balloons and face painting. On Friday, the first 100 customers receive a card for a free cupcake in September. Learn more about the event here.
Cupcake Junkie is at 12240 Coursey Blvd., Suite B.
Click the images in the gallery below to enlarge.
