There is a sweet new store now open at 710 Oregon Street in Hiawatha. Andrea Winter and Ashley Tuttle, aka The Giggle Girls, have a passion for creating delicious and artful baked goods. These cousins have found a way to take their passion and talent to the next level. “We grew up together and have always been best friends” says Winter, “our Aunt called us giggle girls because we were always laughing” she added. As adults their talents were a natural fit for this business, both separately trained in the food industry focusing on baking and decorating. “Ice cream cakes were a specialty of mine” says Tuttle, “Also, I love seeing a design and recreating the character and shape, it’s a fun challenge” added Tuttle. Watching them together you definitely feel the love and the talent is evident in every one of their creations. Realizing that starting and sustaining a successful business takes more than a passion for your product and talent, they contacted Northeast Kansas Enterprise Facilitation (NEKEF) and met with facilitator Teresa McAnerney to discuss best practices. “This has been a long process, these women have put a great deal of thought into their business plan. They were able to keep costs under control by launching the business from their home kitchen while building a solid clientele and reputation before making the leap to a store front,” says McAnerney.
The NEKEF Community Resource Board, the Hiawatha Foundation for Economic Development, the Glacial Hills Rural Business Development program and the Washburn SBDC were free resources tapped by Winter and Tuttle. “They are serious about being successful and by accessing these expert resources to combine with their hard work and talent – it’s a winning combination,” adds McAnerney.
The Giggle Girls Cakery, located at 710 Oregon Street, Hiawatha, KS 66434, opened their doors last week to a very warm welcome. “We had a great steady flow of customers every day…with lines at times” says Winter. Tuttle added “We are happy with sales, we are hustling to keep those cases filled. The ice cream cakes go fast as well as the cinnamon rolls”. You will want to plan a visit soon to the cakery, you can smell the baked goods on Oregon Street and that’s just the beginning. The shop itself was a collaborative effort with all the family contributing their talents and treasures too. You will enjoy the playful 3-D artwork on the walls created by Winter’s grandfather and the play area designed with fluffy “ice cream sandwich” benches so you can enjoy treats while your children are entertained. Pick up a quick hot breakfast sandwich from a grab and go case and coming soon will be lunch offerings as well. Keep up with all the latest confections in the case and savory offerings on the Giggle Girls Cakery Face Book page, it is updated several times a day. Also, check out their photo gallery for cake ideas for your next celebration. Order your custom cake in any theme you can dream of, bring in picures, invitations and your ideas and they will custom craft a delicious and artful dessert for your family or corporate gathering. The Giggle Girls Cakery is not just delicious, it’s an experience that will leave you with a giggle or two of your own.
