Treat Cupcake Bar: A make-your-own cupcake experience

Upon entering Treat Cupcake Bar the sweet smell of fresh cupcakes wafts through the door. Candy jars are fully stocked and kids squeal over their options.

Opening their second shop in Chestnut Hill, Treat is a different form of the, now-common, “sophisticated” cupcake shops, as this style appeals to a younger demographic with its “make-your-own” cupcake option.

With three different flavors of cupcakes to choose from, four different frostings, and several mix-ins, Treat is less of a bakery and more of an experience.

Becoming a fixture in the community

“We wanted to create something fun for the community,” said Adie Sprague, head baker and general manager of Treat. “So, opposed to just focusing on having awesome cupcakes — obviously that’s a must — we wanted it to be a destination, an activity, more than just a food place.”

Still in its first few weeks of operation at the Chestnut Hill location, Sprague said Treat is looking to share its brand with more people.

“We are very proud of what we do, we are very community oriented, we do a lot of community giving,” Sprague said. “We wanted to expand, increase business and tackle a new area. That area is similar to here, where we are looking for foot traffic and giving families a fun place to go for an afternoon out.”

Juggling a two-sided business, Treat attracts pedestrians in the cafe and deals with catering orders in the kitchen.

“Our cafe is more family oriented — people going on dates or coming after dinner to enjoy the cafe,” Sprague said. “But as a business, we are split between that and the catering we do for special events. We also do large-scale decorating kits. We have done universities and offices. We will send naked cupcakes, tubs of frosting and candies.”

Customers create unique concotions 

One family that decided to visit Treat’s cafe was the Chung family. Leslie Chung, her husband, and two children decided to stop by after eating dinner at a nearby restaurant.

“It was good,” Chung said. “We haven’t really been to other cupcake shops before. We were having dinner at The Cottage and saw the shop and decided to come in.”

Mark Buchanan and Samantha Cacciatore also decided to supply some spontaneous service.

“It was really good,” Buchanan said. “I liked the red velvet and the cream.”

They shared one cupcake, sitting side by side at a bar-like table in the middle of the shop.

“Compared to other shops, I thought it was really good,” Cacciatore said. “I liked all the selections.”

The cupcake selection changes seasonally with a few permanent staples. Displayed in a glass case, the cupcakes range from chocolate or vanilla, Plain Jane to the Elvis Impersonutter, a banana cupcake filled with peanut butter, topped with Nutella buttercream and peanuts.

Each of the cupcakes has a personality, with unique flavors that appeal to both kids and adults. Sprague said her favorite part of Treat was its fun and funky vibe.

“Our initial branding was more kid oriented, whereas a lot of cupcake stores are more sophisticated, they target adults with the nostalgia of cupcakes,” Sprague said. “… It doesn’t have to be a nostalgic vibe. It can just be fun.”

In their Chestnut Hill shop, Treat has also introduced Treat Boutique, which focuses on cupcake apparel.

“For the Bugs Bunny, which is carrot cake, we have a graphic of a cupcake with bunny ears,” Sprague said. “It’s another part of our brand, cupcake apparel, still on that tween to young adult vibe.”

Liam Lane, a Treat Cupcake Bar employee, said his favorite part of working was the customers.

“Everybody is happy when they come in,” Lane said. “People are happy when they buy a cupcake, they always smile.”

He said he had tried the banana cupcake earlier in the day, but his favorite was the Bugs Bunny.

At the make-your-own bar, Lane pointed out the three types of cupcakes: Chocolate, golden and marble. He also listed the variety of toppings.

“Either we put it together or the customer can,” he said. “Most kids want to put it together themselves. It is more fun that way. Why should I get all the fun?”

As a growing, small business, Sprague said Treat is taking cues from their existing stores on how to expand, either through catering or more locations.

“I would like to get into Boston at some point,” Sprague said. “We are in Needham and got a little closer with Chestnut Hill, so that would probably be our next destination.”

BU students offer opinions

A number of Boston University students said the idea of a make-your-own-cupcake bar sounded exciting.

“I love cupcakes, all of them,” said School of Management sophomore David Rysin. “It is the classic baked treat with icing on top. It doesn’t matter if it is fancy or not.”

While he said he usually only travels 20 to 30 feet in a supermarket to get cupcakes, Rysin said the make-your-own bar interested him.

“It sounds delicious,” Rysin said. “It’s summertime and I’ll be watching what I eat very carefully, so I might wait until the fall to get a cupcake from the Chestnut Hill area.”

College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Mariia Yelizarova said she would be willing to travel to Chestnut Hill for a cupcake.

“I like all types of cupcakes,” Yelizarova said. “In Boston I’ve gone to Cupcakes DC, it was good.”

CAS junior Hudson Rowland said he had recently eaten a cupcake in a campus dining hall and would be willing to travel to get one from a place that specializes in the snack.

“I think I would enjoy Treat,” Rowland said. “If I were ever going to go out for cupcakes, I would definitely do that. As long as it is accessible by the T, it doesn’t really matter how far away it is.”

Treat Cupcake Bar is located at 49 Boylston St. in Chestnut Hill and at 1450 Highland Ave. in Needham.