Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Summers.
Cindy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2010, I left my corporate career in eCommerce to follow my passion for baking, with a plan to open a pastry shop in my town. I enrolled in the L’Art de la Patisserie program at the French Pastry School while working on the build-out of my retail storefront in downtown Oak Park.
The mission from the beginning has always been the same: make pastries using only the very best ingredients and classic French techniques while providing outstanding customer service. It has been the perfect recipe for success. My Oak Park location quickly grew a fiercely loyal following.
After a few years, I finally decided to take the advice of many customers and open another location. This time in Lincoln Park, just down the street from where I first met my husband. The Lincoln Park sweets shop features Sugar Fixé’s most popular pastry: the delicate French Macaron.
Our biggest area of growth has been in high-end wedding cakes. I have a small team of really talented artists that create unique and cutting-edge designs our customers are looking for.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It certainly hasn’t been a smooth road, but that’s life, right? There’s a lot of unpredictability in running a business. Big things like power outages and equipment troubles can interrupt the best days. And day-to-day administrative duties can take up a lot of time.
The biggest struggle I’ve had is creating a good work/life balance. Building a strong team that takes care of customers the way I do is the key to being comfortable taking time away from the bakery.
Another challenge was finding the confidence to say no. When I was just starting out I would say yes to every request from customers. I would often spend hours or days trying to perfect a recipe for one-off orders. That just didn’t make sense. I needed to stick with my tried-and-true recipes, the ones I knew we could make with consistent quality. This has made my team much more efficient and gives me full confidence in everything we make.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Authentic, scratch-made croissants are hard to find. And we do them well. We make many other traditional French pastries like quiche, tarts, and entremet. We also make American style pastries, but always with a nod to the French by keeping the flavor profiles unique with a subtle sweetness level.
A big part of the business is custom cakes, especially wedding cakes. I have a rock star team of cake decorators (artists!) that have really taken our specialty cakes to amazing heights. We’ve been featured on WGN News, The Knot, Woman’s World, Modern Luxury Bride, and more.
What were you like growing up?
I grew up with four brothers. Two older, two younger. Running around in the woods with my older brothers helped me develop a rough-and-tumble side. Helping raise my younger brothers after my mother’s passing helped me discover my nurturing side. One thing I will always remember is the time spent in the kitchen baking with my mom. My favorite part was licking the bowls and spoons after our creations were in the oven. I’ve taken that feeling with me throughout the adventure of owning a bakery.
Pricing:
- Pastries and desserts $2-6
- Celebration cakes starting at $25
- Tiered cakes starting at $5/serving
- Sculpted and 3-D cakes starting at $10/serving
Contact Info:
- Address: Patisserie
119 N Marion St
Oak Park, IL 60301Sweets Shop
958 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60614 - Website: www.sugarfixe.com
- Phone: 708-948-7720
- Email: contact@sugarfixe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarfixe/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SugarFixe/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sugar-fixé-patisserie-oak-park-2
Image Credit:
Michelle Elfvin
Ed & Aileen Photography
Regan Baroni
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