Rising Stars: Meet Cheryl Palermo

Hi Cheryl, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Junie B’s Bake Shop began as an idea, a dream, a constant ‘what if’ after working long shifts as a registered nurse. Cookies have always been a major part of my life. In 2016, I started experimenting with different recipes in my home kitchen. At this time, I was also pregnant with my first child and working at the local hospital. In 2017, dozens and dozens of prototypes went to my family and husband’s coworkers. I felt like I had something. I started taking notes, creating vision boards, jotting down ideas; I was just constantly thinking about it.

In 2018, I took a bet on myself and filed for a tax ID number and registered with the Secretary of State to officially start Junie B’s. Fast forward to 2020; I was ready to launch Junie B’s. I also gave birth to my second child and was moving away from South Durham, where we had lived for ten years to North Raleigh. Que the global pandemic. We decided to continue with the launch of our brand just doing what we could do and I “hired my husband” so we could balance work life, family life and stay within this bubble everyone was creating around them. Labor Day 2020, we took our eTuk out for the very first time. Now in June of 2021, we have partnered with stores in Raleigh, Durham, Apex, and Wake Forest. We work directly with local charcuterie companies and we meet our consumers directly at weekend markets and private events. We have met and worked with so many of the members of the greater Triangle community, including store owners, food truck owners, kitchen managers, property managers, retail store owners, that we are so happy to call them all friends. We have taken our eTuk from Pittsboro, to the Triangle, Zebulon, Southern Pines all the way to Wilmington. We are excited for what the future holds with Junie B’s Bake Shop and could not have gotten this far without the support of our family and the community of friends we have met along the way.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning a small business is a constant ebb and flow of emotions. Like everyone else, we had to pivot our marketing strategy when storefronts closed down in 2020. We introduced online ordering and shipping as well as contactless delivery every Thursday. We had to relocate our commercial kitchen, which required a new inspection to be completed. We had to be innovative in bringing our products to the community. Coming from the health care industry, there was a learning curve launching a prepared food company. Not every move we have made has paid off, but every move has helped us grow and strengthened our resolve to make Junie B’s the best it can be.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Junie B’s Bake Shop is known for our cookies. Our loyal Junie B’s customers call them “stupid good cookies!” We make our Cookies fresh to order, with no additives or preservatives and they’re individually wrapped for freshness. We are also known for our Edible and Bakeable Cookie Dough. We roll each jar in to bite-size dough bites, allowing for on-the-go snacking, mix-ins for ice cream or on demand baking. We have five flagship flavors, gluten-free options and an original vegan cookie. We also offer our riff on the Cookie Cake being a 6” cake with 1” thickness creating a crispy outside and a gooey center. Junie B’s is also notable for our electronic e-Tuk or a Tuk Tuk. We have customized our mobile bakery to have a cookie warmer and a fridge. Yes, we drive it and it’s street legal!

How do you think about luck?
The only bad luck we have experienced having our brand and financial investment in our company be comprised when the retail industry shut down. The experience has brought us together as a family and a company while introducing us to an entire new community. It’s given us grace and grit while experiencing growing pains of a new business. We are feeling prepared for whatever comes next.

Contact Info:

• Email: cherylpalermo@juniebs.com
• Website: www.juniebs.com

• Instagram: @juniebsbakeshop