If you’re one of the hundreds of students who live near campus, specifically the Tigerland or Burbank areas, you’ve noticed the gourmet cupcake shop, Cupcake Allie, that’s nestled in the same strip as Hungry Howie’s Pizza. Most people, specifically college kids who are stress eating, love cupcakes and can appreciate the proximity of this dessert shop, but the prices of these establishments are just not realistic or sustainable for college kids.
Most students frequently repeat the mantra “treat yo’ self” when they realize they’ve been excessively, unnecessarily spending money, but generally they are aiming that statement at splurging on drinks, pizza or some new clothes, not gourmet, aesthetically pleasing cupcakes. Treating yourself to a delightfully sweet treat is always nice if you can spare the money, but it isn’t something that students can justify regularly spending money on.
Cupcake Allie isn’t the only casual, convenient dessert option close to campus. Nothing Bundt Cakes and The Ambrosia Bakery are some other well-known spots, but aimed at a slightly different clientele. Nothing Bundt Cakes is a chain that is expanding, opening locations in nearly 36 different states, and The Ambrosia Bakery knows they have higher prices and so they are aimed more at local families or businesses. Cake shops that have an average price of $3.25 per cupcake are probably targeting the wrong clients. With boozy flavors coupled with late closing times, exceeding 10 p.m., college students seem like the targeted buyer. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too expensive for a student, but it’s located amongst mostly students or lower income families.
Some of the aforementioned shops are expanding their businesses, but it doesn’t seem like they are refining the focus on clientele. Instead it seems like they’re broadening their products and having some sort of identity crisis. Many sweets shops now sell frozen drinks like Icees, cake pops and are even trying out dog products, such as mini cupcakes that are healthy for dogs or small bones covered in pet friendly icing. As mentioned before, college students barely want to shell out money for textbooks deemed necessary so it’s unlikely they’ll be rushing to scoop up gourmet dog treats while they’re on a budget.
Coffee shops that sell a variety of pastries just make more sense in a college town like Baton Rouge. Dessert shops that sell mediocre coffee just don’t seem like a feasible, sustainable market where the buyers are mostly students. The concept behind these restaurants is a delightful, whimsical thought, just not one that people are often thinking about.
Owners of these stores should look at the market around them and realize that their main focus should be on something manageable for students, like having the spotlight be on cheap, delicious coffee, and entice them into stores that way. It’s as simple as this: know your market and don’t try to create one that’s not already there in a town that’s overrun by broke kids.
Jordan Miller is a 21-year-old elementary education junior from New Orleans, Louisiana.