Patricia Rothman is hoping to have her cupcake and eat it too. This month, she opened More: Forever More Cupcakes, a specialty retail cupcake boutique and wholesaler just off the main drag of Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. “We wanted to create a business that was upbeat and fun, and what could be more fun than cupcakes?” Rothman said. “Also, they are also small enough to fit in one hand, so we can all indulge in cupcakes and not feel guilty.”
The cupcakes come in traditional and miniature sizes. The traditional sizes are sold individually, by the half dozen or by the dozen. The miniatures or “moresels” are available only by special advanced order in flights of six or sets of 30 or more. The flights of “moresels” have appeal as upscale, inventive corporate or personal gifts, and Rothman offers them in unique, custom boxes.
Rothman wanted to work with cupcakes because they elicit memories of home, childhood and grandma. The home-spun cupcake varieties, such as chocolate chip and red velvet, are certainly represented in the menu. But with more than 30 varieties on the sweet menu, pastry chefs Todd Maturatai and Gale Gand didn't stop at classics.
A second, savory menu pushes the cupcake envelope. The bakery offers a pungent pear, port and blue cheese cupcake, as well as a B.L.T. with heirloom tomatoes and candied bacon. A bacon, maple and brown sugar variety is a morning favorite, and a peach barbeque cupcake blends sweet and savory. “Cupcakes are traditional,” Rothman said. “We wanted to improve on the tradition.”
The store itself doesn't look like grandma's kitchen, either. The contemporary design in the 600-sq.-ft. bakery is free of clutter, giving the illusion of space. A single display hangs from the ceiling, supporting rows of cupcakes floating on translucent trays. The back wall also is translucent and back lit, making the store appear to glow from within.
“We are looking to be a standout amongst the crowd by offering superior product and unique offerings, in a rich and elegant store design,” Rothman added.