With time, tolerance, diligence and flexibility, Melynda Harjes says anyone can make something possible, such as their own bakery.
Uptown Girl Cupcakes & Dessert is a sweet retreat for those in the White Bear Lake community. The menu consists of a wide array of cupcakes, pies, candy and other baked goods. In the works is a doughnut buffet where customers can order their doughnuts with their choice of icing and watch it get crafted while they wait.
While downtown White Bear Lake originally held the store, Harjes says they outgrew the space. With a family in Hugo, it was important the shop remained in the general area. Luckily, a storefront opened at 5960 Highway 61.
The adorable space contains bright walls surrounding a bakery, serving counter and cozy seating area, complete with a sofa and oversized chair. “We love the fact that it smells like a bakery all day, every day,” Harjes says.
Harjes’ venture into baking can be traced back to watching her mother and grandmother create Christmas candies in December. “We made springerle cookies, fudge, divinity candy and old fashioned peanut brittle,” she says. While Harjes has surpassed baking just those treats, she says that connection to both grandma and the kitchen is something she treasures.
When the weather warms, Uptown Girl offers cupcakes with refreshing lime and lemon curds, luscious springtime favorites.
