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For the Love of Cupcakes likes downtown locale

Jordan Beck | Daily Press Kelli Van Ginhoven, owner of local bakery For the Love of Cupcakes, is pictured behind the counter of her Ludington Street storefront. The storefront opened on Oct. 3, 2016.

ESCANABA — Local bakery For the Love of Cupcakes has made Escanaba a bit sweeter over the past few years.

Kelli Van Ginhoven, the bakery’s owner, said her storefront opened on Ludington Street on Oct. 3, 2016. However, she had been baking for years before establishing the storefront.

“This storefront was five years in the making,” she said. Van Ginhoven started baking at home as a hobby; later, she began baking full-time, taking cupcake orders on her Facebook page and selling cupcakes at farmers’ markets in the area.

Van Ginhoven said things have been going well at her new storefront so far.

“(It’s) far beyond my wildest expectations,” she said, noting the bakery has been supported by the community, the Downtown Development Authority and Chamber of Commerce, and other local businesses on Ludington Street.

According to Van Ginhoven, business at For the Love of Cupcakes has continued to be strong.

“Walk-in traffic is wonderful, special orders are more than ever, and every day is just a blessing,” she said.

She noted some types of cupcakes sold at the store have been particularly popular.

“My strongest sellers are Death by Chocolate, Triple Berry, and my Chocolate Chip Double Dunkers,” Van Ginhoven said. The latter item consists of two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla cream cheese frosting between them.

In the future, Van Ginhoven aims to continue selling cupcakes at her storefront.

“I hope to be here on Ludington Street for a long time — as long as my customers will have me,” she said.

She also hopes to be able to continue giving back to the community.

“I do a lot of Donation Days,” Van Ginhoven said. On these days, For the Love of Cupcakes gives 100 percent of proceeds to a local cause, organization, or group. The bakery has been able to support End the Silence, U.P. Honor Flight, Lakeshore Live, and other causes through Donation Days. For the Love of Cupcakes’ next Donation Day will be held in support of End the Silence on Sept. 5.

Van Ginhoven thanked her customers for making For the Love of Cupcakes’ continued success possible.

“If I didn’t have my customers, I wouldn’t have my business,” she said.

For more information, find For the Love of Cupcakes on Facebook.

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