Have any of you visited some of these bakeries that specialize in cupcakes. I found many websites for ones in NYC and out in California. Seems like cupcakes are becoming more and more popular. I'd love to open up a shop just of cupcakes in my town, since we don't have one, but I wondered if there's as much of a demand...
Any thoughts or opinions of these shops if you've visited them?
Funny you should ask! I was just in NYC last weekend and did one of my mini "tours" of a bunch of bakeries: Magnolia, Billy's, Cupcake Cafe, Sugar Sweet Sunshine, etc. There are SO MANY in NYC! We only have a few here in Boston, so I'm always up for a NYC trip.
I think the reason the cupcake concept works so well in NYC is that it's a true walking city. The most popular bakeries are all in heavy foot-traffic areas like the Village. So, they cater as much to workers on their lunch breaks as they do to tourists, shoppers, or people living in the neighborhood. Also, many of the bakeries there are open until 10 or 11 p.m., so they can catch all of the post-dinner and post-theatre crowds wandering the streets, as well as all of the people on their way to the clubs and bars. There are always people lined up down and around the street outside Magnolia, no matter what the time of day. When we walked by around 10 p.m., there were at least 100 people in line. You just don't see that in most other cities.
Interestingly enough, I haven't found too much that's "special" about any of the places I've visted. By and large, they do standard, home-style treats that anyone could make just as well in their own kitchen. Don't get me wrong -- the treats are tasty! -- but, honestly, I've yet to be blown away. In my opinion, I think their success is based more on the fact that they're providing a service in a busy, urban area where many people may not have time to bake for themselves and are homesick for treats like mom used to make. Just my two cents. 
Thanks for the response! I'm thinking a cupcake bakery would be lots of fun, though I'd have to have the cakes and cookies in the mix to keep business up.
Hmm, the more I dwell on the idea, the more I think I might research it some more...and I can't wait until November when I visit NYC. I'll make my friends go on the "bakery tour" with me also! 
lehall....I agree....there is nothing special about what the Magnolia or the Cupcake Cafe sell. In fact I found the Magnolia cupcakes rather dry. Almost like a devil dog type of cake(chocolate)...the Cupcake Cafe had better cake...they recently had to move from their old location to a new one.....not sure how that is going to affect their business.
Doug -- true, indeed. Many of my NYC friends have sad little galley kitchens with teeny tiny ovens. It's enough to make me cry! 
Elipsis, that's such a neat site! So many great ideas!
Here's more sites. They've been gaining popularity since Martha Stewart did that first blue/white monogrammed hearts cupcake tower in her Weddings magazine about 5 years ago?
www.yummycupcakes.com
www.eini.ca
www.sugarsweetsunshine.com
www.whimsicalcupcakes.ca
www.thecupcakeshoppe.ca
www.cupcakesonline.com
Thanks for sharing - those are great cupcake sites!
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