Emily Norris and Bruce Stevens welcome you to their new establishment. (Bruce Stevens photo)
Sweet treats trump sleep.
Hot on the heels of their wedding and moving into a new house, and while juggling full-time jobs at local eateries, Emily Norris and Bruce Stevens are getting into the cupcake business.
Their latest joint venture, Emily’s Sweets & Treats (two doors down from Norris’ parents business, Kapaws Iskreme, on Front Street) opens 10 AM Monday, Oct. 27.
At the moment the front door opens and the smell of fresh baked goodies (plus a whiff of freshly brewed espresso) hits the streets, it’ll be just the start for the duo.
Bruce is the executive sous chef at Christopher’s on Whidbey, while Emily is on the wait staff at Front Street Grill.
Continuing to work their first jobs, caring for a fairly new dog at home and opening a seven-day-a-week business (the shop will be open 10-4) will take commitment, hustle and hard work.
But it was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up, after the building that housed the Mariti Chocolate Company for the past 17 years suddenly came available this summer.
Norris has done special orders for cupcakes in her spare time, including several events where she paired wines with her desserts for Front Street Grill and Vail’s Wine Shop.
Now, having a full-time shop gives her a chance to explore a field where she recently discovered she had a passion.
“I made a cake for my best friend on a Valentine’s Day,” Norris said. “I found I really enjoyed it.
“I made cake, I made her day, it was great!”
After taking over the location, the couple redecorated, brought in shiny new equipment (including a snazzy espresso machine) and prepared to take the plunge into being business owners of a shop that combines cuteness with streamlined beauty.
All of the baking will be done on location, with the selection growing as the business does.
Opening day you can expect chocolate chip cookies (which Norris was hand-crafting as she talked about her business venture), peanut butter cookies, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, scones and more.
Hot chocolate will be available to go with the edibles, and the espresso machine, with its 14 flavors of syrup sitting ready (the beans come from JennyBean Custom Coffee in Coupeville), is ready to dispense lattes, Americanos, mochas, steamed milks and the like.
The goal of the cozy little shop, and its down-home owners (Norris is a former Coupeville High School cheerleader, while Stevens hails from the land of Tom Brady), is to be an extension of your own kitchen.
Just without you having to do any of the hard work.
“We’ll have really yummy stuff,” Norris said with a huge smile as she shaped a cookie. “It’ll be like going to a friend’s house and baking something together.”
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