A Catered Affair and The Bake Shoppe transitioned their business from Murfreesboro to the vibrant Church Street District in June 2005.
Owner Kellie Barnes said “we found a great building, centrally located, allowing us to serve Middle-Tennessee with ease. We decided upon the location with business development in mind. It was a good investment for us.”
While the bulk of The Bake Shoppe’s business is “slanted toward weddings and specialty cakes,” Barnes wants to “expand the shoppe’s business clientele” and feels Church Street is a great place to do just that. The Bake Shoppe can create just about any themed cake, allowing for business event novelty and corporate novelty cakes. The shoppe’s custom cakes start at a price of $900.
A Catered Affair is the full-service catering arm of the business. The catering services are offered on or off-site. The on-site facility at 1418 Church Street features a rooftop deck for cocktail hour and a dining area, seating approximately 100 guests. The catering division boasts of a chocolate fountain (reminiscent of Willie Wonka), ice sculptures and themed parties, including “The Great Gatsby” and “Lion King.” A Catered Affair has received local attention for the annual catering of Nashville’s Parade of Homes event.
Barnes shared with “O&AN” that A Catered Affair has catered a commitment ceremony and even a baby shower for a biracial gay couple. “We like to reach out to everyone,” Barnes said.
With the finishing touches to the menu, the business lunch division of the company is almost ready for business. The Lunchbox caters special occasion and business lunches throughout Middle-Tennessee and offers a corporate drop-off menu featuring door-to-door delivered box lunches. Pricing and full menu options should be available in the next one to two months.
The real estate purchased with the business has enabled Barnes to offer two apartments for rent and to live in the third. Barnes moved into her 1,100 square foot Church Street apartment in August of 2006 and loves it. She noted, “Three years from now, 10,000 people will have moved to downtown and Metro will address any neighborhood issues.”
A Catered Affair and The Bake Shoppe are only available for custom orders by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call (615) 321-2394.
