When Cupcake Allie owner Allie Offner opened her business in 2013, she said she didn’t know it was going to take off as quickly as it did — and now she’s reaping the sweet benefits.
After baking in her mother’s kitchen, Offner developed a devoted following of her baked goods and opened Cupcake Allie on Perkins Road with the help of her fiancé, Jay Bookman, in December 2013. She will now be expanding the business to two new locations, one on Nicholson Drive and one in Mid City.
“We’re about 18 months in, and the response and support we’ve gotten from the community has just been huge,” Offner said. “That allowed us to move so much sooner than we really expected.”
Offner said she hopes to start concocting cupcakes at the Nicholson location next week.
She said she was asked to take over the new location by its previous owners, cupcake boutique Frosted.
“It was an opportunity that fell in our lap and was too good to pass up,” Offner said.
Being close to campus is something Offner said she looks forward to. She plans to gear the location toward LSU students, offering study-hour specials and trivia nights.
The Mid City location will be located on Government Street and will open later than the Nicholson location because of building procedures.
Offner said she hopes to make the Government Street location Cupcake Allie’s flagship store. She plans to serve breakfast at the location in the morning and serve plated desserts at night while also offering alcohol.
Cupcake Allie’s baked goods also are sold in grocery stores. Calandro’s Supermarket was the first store to sell the cupcakes, with other markets such as Rouses following its lead. Offner said Rouses plans on selling the desserts at every Louisiana location by the end of the year.
Offner said she attributes the success of Cupcake Allie on the quality of the product, which sets her apart from competitors. Her baked goods are made from scratch every day, which she said gives her an edge.
“People saw the quality in [the product] and have appreciated that and supported us for it,” Offner said.
Creativity is a major aspect in the growth of Offner’s business. She said she receives inspiration for recipes while going to dinner with her husband.
“We go to dinner and figure out how we can turn whatever we’re eating that meal into a cupcake,” Offner said.
Offner, who graduated from LSU with a degree in interior design, said she followed her passion and took business classes to aide in the creation of Cupcake Allie.
Recognizing that the food industry is a difficult business to break into, Offner said she urges LSU students interested in starting a business to do their research before diving in headfirst.
“You’ll get a million ‘nos,’ but all you need is one ‘yes,’” Offner said.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Charles Champagne

A pecan pie cupcake and other special varietys are on display at Cupcake Allie Thursday, March 19, 2015 located on Perkins Rd.