Save Philly Cupcake from Big Biz
Donation protected
The Message to Big Biz Developers/Contractors/Property Owners: You can't devalue small businesses, start huge projects that block pedestrian, parking and automotive traffic ways, put up signs that direct customers away from local businesses, and neglect to acknowledge the catestophic effect you have on said businesses for your own gain. There's room for all of us. Shame on you.
Solutions: There should be laws developed to protect small businesses like ours in Philadelphia. Developers pay for the hardship and loss of income a small business faces due to your projects. Build pedestrian pathways and preserve parking and temporary parking spots around local businesses your construction will effect. Pay for advertizing and signage that promotes small businesses and directs foot traffic to those businesses for the life of your project. There should be strict limits on the City issuing permits for large projects within a certain area and population density.
Our Story:
RECENT ARTICLE: Daily News Article 10/3/15
Philly Cupcake is a magical bakery at the corner of 12th and Chestnut Streets. Johnny and Michael opened the doors in 2009 creating artisan sweet treats for the masses putting smiles on the faces of Philadelphians and tourists alike. We knew the area had challenges in the beginning, but we persevered and attracted new customers and other small businesses. After 7 years of hard labor with no vacations and an investment of over $350k from our life savings, Philly Cupcake thrived and became a household name.
Check out our website or our instagram for photos of our creations.
Then suddenly in 2014 our now previous landlord sold our space to a large company (SSH Management) who does not find any value in our small business. Their goal is to double our rent to remove us from this magical location and offer our space to a big box store. We face an unbalanced terroristic lease (they can give us a 6 months notice and we have to move our store, while we would be tied to a 3 year lease). Our new landlord is one of the builders who shut down our street to build a new level of stores one block directly north of us.
The City of Philadelphia has allowed three major developments (since the beginning of 2014) to happen at the same time between the blocks of 11th and 12th Streets effectively sanctioning these effects with no regard for the small businesses in the area. Philly Cupcake is one of many businesses on these blocks that are suffering these realities.
Please understand, we live in Philly. We also want to see development in the City. We also think the big companies that do these developments, who obviously have deeper pockets than us, can look at the local small business culture and try to help preserve that while they do their buildout. The City of Philadelphia who is supposed to advocate for its residents and small businesses should do this as well when they approve these big projects. To not do this is called negligence.
Here is what the three project developers, owners, construction companies, our landlord and the City of Philadelphia have done to KILL our business...
1. They erected a large sign written in bold red letters that sits directly in front of Philly Cupcake's front door. The sign reads, "SIDEWALK CLOSED PLEASE USE CROSSWALK" with a big red arrow directing people away from Philly Cupcake's front door. These signs gradually grew to the North side of Chestnut Street, directly across the street from Philly Cupcake , to the North on Market Street, and to the South on Samson Street. These signs along with all the workmen who sit outside our business on the little sidewalk that is open make the block appear to be completely closed.
2. The contractors have taken up all of the parking and sidewalks that surround Philly Cupcake on Chestnut Street, Samson Street and 12th Street (North, South and West of the store). As part of their projects, these areas have been closed for public use and transportation. This makes it impossible for driving customers to find parking near the store without having to pay expensive parking fees to the parking garages ($18 for the first hour). It also makes it extremely difficult for our delivery service to get in to pick up orders.
3. The dirt and dust make it difficult to see where you are going as it blows up and down the street and in our doors. We see pedestians every day covering their mouth and noses to block breathing in the dust. Customers and their children do not want to walk in dust clouds and dirt to get their delicious baked goods.
4. There are six porta potties twenty feet from our front door that smell terrible.
5. The large trucks and cranes with steel beams shake the foundation of our store and making loud noises most of the day, scaring customers away. At times these cranes block ALL pedestrian and driving traffic from our location for full days often on Saturday’s, which is our busiest day of the week. Customers have to walk 2 full city blocks out of their way just to get to the store.
6. Out of town customers from the Convention Center and other attractions are directed away from going down 12th Street and Chestnut Street causing them to completely miss walking past Philly Cupcake.
These developments have significantly reduced Philly Cupcake's walk up traffic and retail sales for a loss of over $150K. This has caused problems with being able to meet obligations to the current landlord SSH Management who is one of the stakeholders in the Market Street/12th Street development.
Just so you understand, we have not been negligent with the business. It took us most of 2014 to realize the effect on our business was due to construction. We tried to sell the business and got a lot of response, but once they saw the state of the lease, the interest died. We've looked at over 30 locations around the City including Reading Terminal (our preference), 30th Street Station, and Suburban Station. We put in our application for Reading Terminal early 2015 but have not heard back from them. We've had to lay off staff whom we love dearly.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE, when we noticed our numbers were dropping in 2014, we started doing wholesale of our product. That has been growing steadily even though the profit from it is less than our own retail. It is the only thing that has kept us afloat this long. Well, and no longer taking salaries for quite some time.
This is just the beginning of our demise and we DESPERATELY need your help to fund our legal defense to send a message to the big guys. Small business owners built this country, and there is room for everyone on the street. Small businesses are the ONLY thing that makes Philadelphia unique to locals and tourists alike as the big corporate stores take over more and more. Please join us in this battle.
Philly Cupcake is requesting your support to fund legal fees to pursuit these developers, contactors, and owners to regain monies lost as well as devaluation of the business. This is a clear example of how big business moves in to an area and squeezes out locally owned and operated small businesses with total disregard for the effect of their actions. In legal terms, this is known as negligence.
For us, Philly Cupcake is a labor of love. We need to keep our employees working so that they can pay for school, rent, food, and care for their children. We consider our employees our family, and they have worked hard for years to help us create our magical bakery and delicious products. We simply cannot stay in business with the big guys and their construction projects that they knew would kill our business. They don't care that we spent our life savings to create a happy business that serves our community and that we donate endless amounts of baked goods to the underserved and less fortunate.
Our generosity also extends to our four legged friends, so we created cupcake desserts and treats for dogs. The line of products is called Philly Pupcake, and we donate all of the proceeds to our new non-profit called The Philadelphia Mid-Atlantic Animal Project (work in progress, was called Philly Puppy Project). The goal is to raise enough money so that we can build a no kill sanctuary in Philadelphia for elderly and exotic animals hopefully in the Spring of 2016. The facility will also have a wellness center for pets. Your help is DESPERATELY needed, so that we can continue our mission to serve our wonderful customers and canine community.
The Philadelphia Mid-Atlantic Animal Project has been delayed because of these developments. Any funds received that are not used for the legal battle will go directly to funding the fulfillment of that dream that both Johnny and Michael share. Stakeholders for this sanctuary are still being engaged and other contributions are already being committed. It will happen. It may just take a little longer than we anticipated.
We hope you will join us in this struggle to not only save our business from being squeezed out but also to aid us in our dream to help animals in need.
Thank you in advance to all our loyal customers and those of you who choose to help. Any amount you can offer is much appreciated, and please stop by the shop on the corners of 12th and Chestnut Streets to show us your support and pick up some sweet treats. It is our pleasure to serve.
Solutions: There should be laws developed to protect small businesses like ours in Philadelphia. Developers pay for the hardship and loss of income a small business faces due to your projects. Build pedestrian pathways and preserve parking and temporary parking spots around local businesses your construction will effect. Pay for advertizing and signage that promotes small businesses and directs foot traffic to those businesses for the life of your project. There should be strict limits on the City issuing permits for large projects within a certain area and population density.
Our Story:
RECENT ARTICLE: Daily News Article 10/3/15
Philly Cupcake is a magical bakery at the corner of 12th and Chestnut Streets. Johnny and Michael opened the doors in 2009 creating artisan sweet treats for the masses putting smiles on the faces of Philadelphians and tourists alike. We knew the area had challenges in the beginning, but we persevered and attracted new customers and other small businesses. After 7 years of hard labor with no vacations and an investment of over $350k from our life savings, Philly Cupcake thrived and became a household name.
Check out our website or our instagram for photos of our creations.
Then suddenly in 2014 our now previous landlord sold our space to a large company (SSH Management) who does not find any value in our small business. Their goal is to double our rent to remove us from this magical location and offer our space to a big box store. We face an unbalanced terroristic lease (they can give us a 6 months notice and we have to move our store, while we would be tied to a 3 year lease). Our new landlord is one of the builders who shut down our street to build a new level of stores one block directly north of us.
The City of Philadelphia has allowed three major developments (since the beginning of 2014) to happen at the same time between the blocks of 11th and 12th Streets effectively sanctioning these effects with no regard for the small businesses in the area. Philly Cupcake is one of many businesses on these blocks that are suffering these realities.
Please understand, we live in Philly. We also want to see development in the City. We also think the big companies that do these developments, who obviously have deeper pockets than us, can look at the local small business culture and try to help preserve that while they do their buildout. The City of Philadelphia who is supposed to advocate for its residents and small businesses should do this as well when they approve these big projects. To not do this is called negligence.
Here is what the three project developers, owners, construction companies, our landlord and the City of Philadelphia have done to KILL our business...
1. They erected a large sign written in bold red letters that sits directly in front of Philly Cupcake's front door. The sign reads, "SIDEWALK CLOSED PLEASE USE CROSSWALK" with a big red arrow directing people away from Philly Cupcake's front door. These signs gradually grew to the North side of Chestnut Street, directly across the street from Philly Cupcake , to the North on Market Street, and to the South on Samson Street. These signs along with all the workmen who sit outside our business on the little sidewalk that is open make the block appear to be completely closed.
2. The contractors have taken up all of the parking and sidewalks that surround Philly Cupcake on Chestnut Street, Samson Street and 12th Street (North, South and West of the store). As part of their projects, these areas have been closed for public use and transportation. This makes it impossible for driving customers to find parking near the store without having to pay expensive parking fees to the parking garages ($18 for the first hour). It also makes it extremely difficult for our delivery service to get in to pick up orders.
3. The dirt and dust make it difficult to see where you are going as it blows up and down the street and in our doors. We see pedestians every day covering their mouth and noses to block breathing in the dust. Customers and their children do not want to walk in dust clouds and dirt to get their delicious baked goods.
4. There are six porta potties twenty feet from our front door that smell terrible.
5. The large trucks and cranes with steel beams shake the foundation of our store and making loud noises most of the day, scaring customers away. At times these cranes block ALL pedestrian and driving traffic from our location for full days often on Saturday’s, which is our busiest day of the week. Customers have to walk 2 full city blocks out of their way just to get to the store.
6. Out of town customers from the Convention Center and other attractions are directed away from going down 12th Street and Chestnut Street causing them to completely miss walking past Philly Cupcake.
These developments have significantly reduced Philly Cupcake's walk up traffic and retail sales for a loss of over $150K. This has caused problems with being able to meet obligations to the current landlord SSH Management who is one of the stakeholders in the Market Street/12th Street development.
Just so you understand, we have not been negligent with the business. It took us most of 2014 to realize the effect on our business was due to construction. We tried to sell the business and got a lot of response, but once they saw the state of the lease, the interest died. We've looked at over 30 locations around the City including Reading Terminal (our preference), 30th Street Station, and Suburban Station. We put in our application for Reading Terminal early 2015 but have not heard back from them. We've had to lay off staff whom we love dearly.
ON A POSITIVE NOTE, when we noticed our numbers were dropping in 2014, we started doing wholesale of our product. That has been growing steadily even though the profit from it is less than our own retail. It is the only thing that has kept us afloat this long. Well, and no longer taking salaries for quite some time.
This is just the beginning of our demise and we DESPERATELY need your help to fund our legal defense to send a message to the big guys. Small business owners built this country, and there is room for everyone on the street. Small businesses are the ONLY thing that makes Philadelphia unique to locals and tourists alike as the big corporate stores take over more and more. Please join us in this battle.
Philly Cupcake is requesting your support to fund legal fees to pursuit these developers, contactors, and owners to regain monies lost as well as devaluation of the business. This is a clear example of how big business moves in to an area and squeezes out locally owned and operated small businesses with total disregard for the effect of their actions. In legal terms, this is known as negligence.
For us, Philly Cupcake is a labor of love. We need to keep our employees working so that they can pay for school, rent, food, and care for their children. We consider our employees our family, and they have worked hard for years to help us create our magical bakery and delicious products. We simply cannot stay in business with the big guys and their construction projects that they knew would kill our business. They don't care that we spent our life savings to create a happy business that serves our community and that we donate endless amounts of baked goods to the underserved and less fortunate.
Our generosity also extends to our four legged friends, so we created cupcake desserts and treats for dogs. The line of products is called Philly Pupcake, and we donate all of the proceeds to our new non-profit called The Philadelphia Mid-Atlantic Animal Project (work in progress, was called Philly Puppy Project). The goal is to raise enough money so that we can build a no kill sanctuary in Philadelphia for elderly and exotic animals hopefully in the Spring of 2016. The facility will also have a wellness center for pets. Your help is DESPERATELY needed, so that we can continue our mission to serve our wonderful customers and canine community.
The Philadelphia Mid-Atlantic Animal Project has been delayed because of these developments. Any funds received that are not used for the legal battle will go directly to funding the fulfillment of that dream that both Johnny and Michael share. Stakeholders for this sanctuary are still being engaged and other contributions are already being committed. It will happen. It may just take a little longer than we anticipated.
We hope you will join us in this struggle to not only save our business from being squeezed out but also to aid us in our dream to help animals in need.
Thank you in advance to all our loyal customers and those of you who choose to help. Any amount you can offer is much appreciated, and please stop by the shop on the corners of 12th and Chestnut Streets to show us your support and pick up some sweet treats. It is our pleasure to serve.
Organiser
Michael Lewis
Organiser
Philadelphia, PA
