Help Aria To Get Her Bakery Open
This next step in Burnside’s business was made possible after she won first place Oct. 2 in the Alton Main Street IdeaBounce, held at Jacoby Arts Center. In addition to $500, the teenage entrepreneur will be getting six months of free rental space at Eastgate Plaza in East Alton, thanks to plaza owner Todd Kennedy, who also has offered to build out a bakery space for Burnside.
“I was really in shock,” Burnside said when she found out she won first place and the cash prize. Burnside presented a two-minute elevator pitch before a panel of judges, one of which was Todd Kennedy, an owner of Eastgate Plaza.
“The grand prize was $500, which we were very grateful for,” said Burnside’s mother, Charmian Aaron. “But when we went up on stage to receive the prize, Todd Kennedy came forward.
“He said, ‘Your story is great, and I hear stories every day. What we want to do is build you a spot at Eastgate Plaza and give you six months’ rent for free.’ So that wasn’t a part of IdeaBounce, that’s just something that happened.”
Eastgate’s Director of Marketing Rebecca Wuest said Kennedy’s decision to offer Burnside six months free rental was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Kennedy was involved in the Alton Main Street IdeaBounce to get the word out about the AOS Alternative Office Space rental agency, 219 Eastgate Plaza, which he owns.
Kennedy, who is a long-time member of the community and local business owner, said he was “blown away” by Burnside’s story, Wuest recounted. Burnside talked about her troubled beginnings and how she found a purpose in her business, and Kennedy wanted to help her move toward her vision.
“That is an outstanding young lady,” Wuest said about Kennedy’s thoughts. “It’s not every day you meet a young lady with such determination and drive. This is Aria’s story, and we’re just a small part in it. We’re so blessed to be a part of it.”
Kennedy believes in investing in people, helping them reach their full potential and in paying it forward Wuest said. Therefore, he is going to invest in converting space in Eastgate Plaza into a bakery for Burnside to get established.
Article Published in The Alton Telegraph 10/24/21 by Julie Laakko-Swanson https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Aria-s-Cookies-and-Confections-bakery-coming-16559708.php
St. Louis Magazine Article https://www.stlmag.com/dining/st-louis-teenager-launches-aria%E2%80%99s-cookies-and-confections/
Edwardville Intelligencer Article https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Aria-s-Cookies-Confections-works-to-ensure-16379411.php
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