Rising Stars: Meet Abigail Young

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Young.

Hi Abigail, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I decided to go to school for Pastry and Baking Arts in 2007 after a couple years of prerequisites and ended up moving to Chicago to finish my degree with an internship. I moved back to NC and settled into an office job while making cakes out of my house and then a small industrial kitchen in Concord, NC. I did this for 4 years. A bride of mine worked for the city of Salisbury and urged me, along with many of my long-time customers, to open a storefront here on Main Street. I officially left my office job in December of 2014, signed a lease in an amazing spot, and went to work designing my bakery. I opened on May 1, 2015, and have been making cakes ever since! 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been smoother than it could have been; I had major help from my contractor, who is very familiar with new businesses. But there are so many things to think about when opening a new business that are much less fun than making pretty cakes! Taxes, fees, insurance, permits! There really are so many behind-the-scenes tasks that no one prepares you for 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started out making custom cakes from my home as a side job, and when that got to be more than just part-time, I decided to open a full storefront. So, I still currently offer custom cakes for any occasion, but my bakery offers a variety of cupcakes, cookies, French macarons, and one of our most popular items, rice Krispy treats! I think what sets me apart is that you can expect the same quality every time you visit. We may switch up the flavors, but it will always be fresh and delicious. 

I am most proud of making it almost 9 years. Owning/running a business is not just doing the fun stuff, and it takes a lot of prep work, thinking ahead, and organization skills that I feel I have really improved over the years. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is having a beautiful and consistent product and knowing that people think they’re getting what they’re paying for 

Contact Info:

• Website: abigailscakes.com
• Instagram: @abigails_nc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063764371994