12 December 12-18, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ CORAL GABLES MISHA’S CUPCAKES OPENS IN OLD SWENSEN’S SPOT It was devastating when Miami lost Sw- ensen’s, a longtime diner and ice cream parlor serving old-school American fare, but we can look forward to a new flagship store for Mi- ami’s longtime favorite cupcake shop, Misha’s Cupcakes, which is officially taking its place this December. With a new look and menu, the grand opening for Misha’s Cupcakes at 1586 S. Dixie Hwy. in Coral Gables is slated for Saturday, December 21 (although customers and de- voted fans can already swing by the new digs as early as today). Founder Misha Kuryla, spoke to New Times about the move, which she says is extra sweet because it marks the beginning of a new chapter in Misha’s story — the new spot even has room to enjoy the cupcakes in-store with plenty of seating. From Humble Beginnings to Four Locations and Vending Machines The cupcake business began in her kitchen almost two decades ago, and today, it has evolved to four locations and a few vending machines around Miami. The main difference now is that Kuryla aims to create a better in-store experience where guests can truly come in, sit down, and enjoy the space. “We tried to keep a little bit of Swensen’s in there since there’s so many wonderful memories from the community,” she says. “We kind of gave it a little sprinkle, it’s very different but it’s very pretty. I want to be able to concentrate more on the experience that people have when they walk in, this location will have that bakery feeling, you’ll see the decorators decorating the cupcakes and the cakes, and you’ll smell the cupcakes baking. There’s that special warmth, and you’ll con- nect that smell, that experience, and that Sw- ensen’s memory, to Misha’s Cupcakes.” The re-design features an open view of the artisanal process of decorating each cake and cupcake, as well as a bigger display for them and other signature items like the brownies and vanilla bean bars. Other highlights of the new location include soft-serve ice cream on cupcakes added as a sweet nod to Swensen’s heritage, milkshakes, and coffee options, in- cluding cold brew on tap. The layout allows for an easy pickup and delivery area at the back entrance, and Kuryla wants to use the space for live events in the future as a way to maintain its community hub aspect. Kuryla tells New Times that this location is the first step toward her plan for the future of Misha’s Cupcakes. While opening more stores could be an option, she prefers to focus on re- modeling the existing stores to give them the same feel as this new flagship location de- signed for families to come and hang out. Her plans for expansion include finding new locations for her cupcake vending ma- chines, now available at Miami International Airport and Merrick Park. In addition to ex- panding wholesale, Kuryla already has Mi- sha’s Cupcakes at Whole Foods and Milam’s Market, but she tells New Times the cupcakes will soon be available at Walmart. “It’s expanding in a different way,” she says. “In a way that’s more like a conscious decision, because before I couldn’t wait to conquer and have tons of stores. Now, I realize I can get our product to many more people wholesale while still providing this wonderful and cozy feeling inside our stores, and really cultivate that, rather than just trying to put ourselves all over the map in brick-and-mortar locations.” Misha’s Cupcakes. 1586 S. Dixie Hwy., Coral Gables. Official grand opening scheduled for Saturday, December 21. RACHEL COSTA | TASTE TEST | ▼ Café Misha’s Cupcakes photo Misha’s Cupcakes now has four locations and is being sold all over South Florida — and beyond.
