Got Cupcakes? In Bellmore –– absolutely

There’s an extra bit of happiness mixed in with the cupcakes at Got Cupcakes?, owner Nancy Moniodes says. Moniodes, who opened the store on Bedford Avenue with her husband, Jimmy, in January, said she’s rarely seen customers leave the shop without smiles on their faces. Moniodes said she hopes that feeling only continues to grow.

Got Cupcakes?, which is just north of the Bellmore Playhouse, is a new bakery offering a wide variety of cupcakes. The family-run business grew out an idea developed with the Moniodes’ daughter Cassie, a freshman at Iona College. “It really all started with my daughter,” Moniodes said.

When Cassie was preparing for her Sweet 16 party, she wanted something different than the traditional sheet cake. Cassie and her mom decided to take matters into their own hands and create their own cupcakes. The assortment was such a hit at Cassie’s party that soon friends began asking for cupcakes for their own events. Word spread quickly about the delicious cupcakes, and soon Moniodes couldn’t run the operation out of her kitchen.

When demand for the family’s cupcakes got so big, Moniodes said she realized the next step was to open a store. Moniodes said the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce was excited about the prospect of Got Cupcakes? –– downtown Bellmore hasn’t had a bakery in some time. The reception from the community has been just as warm, Moniodes said. But going into the food business wasn’t a stretch for Moniodeses. The couple grew up in Brooklyn, and Nancy worked in her father’s restaurant for a long time.

“I just like being around people, and I like seeing kids smile and be happy,” Nancy said. A cupcake store is the perfect place to do that.

Going to Got Cupcakes? is about the experience, not just simply buying a cupcake. The walls are covered with pictures of customers and past cupcake parties that the Moniodeses have catered. Customers are given the option of having their pictures taken; Moniodes said she plans on adding new pictures to the walls soon.

The store offers unusual cupcakes like cannoli, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and cookies-and-cream flavors. In addition to normal-sized cupcakes, patrons can grab “cupcake shots,” smaller versions of the popular flavors. The baking is now done offsite, but that will likely change soon.

With the popularity of the store growing, Moniodes said she hopes to get baking equipment in the shop as soon as possible. “I almost envision that when it’s holiday time, there will be a line down the road,” Moniodes said of what she hopes the business will grow to.

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