Self-Taught Decorator Enjoys Sweet Success (First Person)

Jennifer Matsubara, owner

Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shoppe

Springdale

I graduated from Springdale High School and went to college for a couple years before I decided that wasn’t really for me. One day my mother called and said there was a cake shop for sale. I thought, ‘I can do that.’ I’d always been artistic.

I bought the store in November 2001 having never made a cake before. I had to learn very quickly and am completely self-taught. I took a couple classes later in my career. I’m here six days a week and my husband Brian Jaure is my baker. It’s a family business.

It was a very traditional cake shop and I wanted it to be more contemporary.

I taught myself with books, lots of books. I think I have every book on cake decorating and it took a lot of trial and error. There were a lot of long nights practicing until I finally got it.

We did 165 wedding cakes last year. We also do birthday cakes and celebration cakes, probably 70 a week. Petifores, gosh, I think we do about 300 to 400 dozen a week. Our lowest price for a cake is $15 and they can cost as much as $3,000 or $4,000.

Last year we booked up a year in advance for this wedding season. If it’s for November or February, they can order three months in advance. We’re already taking orders for next year.

Our first show on Food Network was filmed in October 2006 for the National Wedding Cake competition in Tulsa. They called and wanted to profile me. They spent all day in the bakery on Friday and I had a camera guy ride with me the next morning.

I did a live challenge with three other competitors for cupcake fantasy towers. I won that one, so Food Network called and asked me to participate in a Surprise Challenge in Denver in December.

We definitely saw an increase in our business and a lot more of our clientele are not minding price. They wanted what they wanted and price isn’t an issue. We definitely like that.