The Cakery, located at the corner of Allen and Elmwood, is a welcome retreat from these lazy, hazy summer days. I stopped in yesterday to cool off and found myself overwhelmed by all of the flavors of ice cream that were available. I guess I don't normally go out for ice cream... for me it's a rare treat. That's why I was like a kid in a candy shop when I saw all of the selections. Not only does The Cakery stock a tantalizing array of Lake Effect favorites, The Cakery also rotates a number of limited edition flavors on a regular basis. Flavors like Levitreland (homage to Buffalo Bills' offensive guard) - strawberry cheesecake ice cream with chocolate covered pretzels.
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Justina Adams, owner of The Cakery, told me that the best selling ice cream flavors have been the salty caramel and cake batter. I asked to sample the loganberry, which I found to be super creamy and flavorful. See what I mean about an array of unusual flavors? Did you know that Lake Effect ice cream is made locally? That's right, whenever you get a cone at The Cakery, it's guaranteed that the ice cream has been made within the past week at Lake Effect (Facebook). You might be paying a little extra for freshness and flavor, but rest assured the product has not been sitting around in some refrigerated cooler waiting for a supermarket delivery truck to rescue it.
Hopefully soon The Cakery's patio permit will be approved, since summer is upon us and it would add a lot of life to that corner. Justina is also waiting for a hanging corner sign to arrive - that will also be a nice addition to the building. I'm a big fan of the colorful facade that has been painted, and the interior is bright and clean. Man, I didn't even mention the display case full of cupcakes... I guess that will have to wait for another day. Until then, let's support this small neighborhood business, since it is doing all of the right things to create a cool welcoming destination in Allentown.
The Cakery (see history) - Facebook
94 Elmwood Ave,
Buffalo, NY
1 (716) 882-2211
Best of luck. The interior is looking good, and here's hoping you have better success than Sweet Tooth.
Hope you got permission for the hanging sign. If not, watch out--The Allentown Mafia will be on your back before you know it!
Did Sweet Tooth have poor success? I thought they did well; but closed because of other circumstances.
Well I'm not sure of the particulars, but closing your doors generally means you were unsuccessful--at least in the end. They were around a long time at their old location, but I think they made a huge mistake moving into this one. Allen and Elmwood is not the best place to turn a profit with a boutique business. There are too many undesirable conditions and restrictions that contribute to a lousy business environment. High rents, petty crime, vandalism, and vagrancy plague this area. It may be unpopular for me to say that, but it's the truth.
From BizJournal:
"According to its Facebook page, Sweet Tooth’s operators said the closing was because of “family health issues, increased expenses, and too much uncertainty. We are very sad to be saying goodbye.”
I always liked it there when it was sweet tooth, if they were anything they were consistent; which is hard to come by in Buffalo sometimes. Love, love love, Lake Effect ice cream so I'll be popping in to check out the new digs. I've brought my 2 year old here when it was sweet tooth and I've never had any problems with vagrants or crime and I've never felt threatened. I guess it just depends on your definition of feeling safe. Still hate to see areas chastised because of their location. I like seeing places like urban roots, flying bison and 5 points bakery succeeding in the suppossed "undesirable" environments.
I never said that I don't feel safe there. I said that the location has many undesirable qualities, and that *maybe* this contributed to their decline. Just because YOU have never experienced crime or vagrancy doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Most Allentown residents will confirm what I'm saying, if only privately.
And of course, "increased expenditures" and "too much uncertainty" are both cash flow issues, which is typically why a business fails.
I'm not saying it's funny or that they deserved it. I just think that that particular corner is a risky investment for any business. Because it is. Unless, of course, you're selling inexpensive food at all hours of the day, which is why The Towne and Jim's Steakout have no trouble thriving.
Why is Cantina Loco thriving?
I wonder if the people who complained so much about its name are even going there. Probably so!
Sounds to me like savvy business-people. Sort of like that Seinfeld episode: knowing when to leave on the high note.
I guess watching The Cakery will confirm or deny your perceptions.
Been there yet, Cap? I was in there the other day and it was packed.