Photo by Jonathan Pollack
Ask any mom: When it comes to planning kids’ birthday parties, there are never enough options—or at least never enough worthy places to celebrate. But as of March, party planners have a new location to add to that short list. According to the founders, Kara Newmark and DeAnn Bingaman (pictured at right), it’s the first of its kind in the country.
The creation of the two self-described serial entrepreneurs, Sweetology (9214 Clayton, 314-736-4800, sweetology.com), is to cake- and cookie-decorating what the Painted Zebra is to painting ceramics. It’s an interactive venue where guests leave with something tangible—or in the case of Sweetology, something edible.
Local bakery The Cup provides Sweetology with sugar cookies, cupcakes, and two sizes and flavors of cakes, all unadorned. Guests first choose a buttercream frosting, to which they add colors and flavors (like citrus or all-natural mint), then proceed to the topping station, with 50 varieties of gummies, jellies, “sprinklies,” and edible leaves and flowers. Newmark even hired engineers to design the mixers and frosting dispensers. Call it a more chic—and safe—version of Willy Wonka’s famous factory.
Treats can be boxed up or consumed immediately in the café, where coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, beer, and wine are served. Sweetology can accommodate parties of up to 40, or guests can arrive unannounced for a quick decorate-and-go.
There’s also a display case with predecorated items—including a cupcake of the month whose proceeds benefit a local charity.
Newmark hatched the idea after realizing nothing made her happier than being in the kitchen with her kids, icing cookies and licking bowls—so why not base a business on the experience? After consulting with Maxine Clark, the founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Newmark saw Sweetology as being even more broadly based, somewhere between “sprinkles and chocolate martinis.” Girls’-night-out planners proved her correct, booking several parties even before the grand opening (slated for mid-April).
If the model proves successful, the partners plan to add two more stores regionally, then decide whether the concept can be taken to the next level. They’d like nothing more than for Sweetology to become the next Build-A-Bear, over which they see a distinct advantage: Creating something edible can be repeated over and over. And really, how many bears do you need in your life?
