1. 14 March 3, 2010
CLOSER LOOK
Founder and owner John
Nicolaides stands by one of
thebuilt-inswingsatMolly’s.
The cozy bakery has bar
seating, complete with a
swing set, as well as table
seating.
Molly’s features its own
“Sprinkle Station,” which
allows guests to customize
their cupcakes.
All of Molly’s specialty
cupcakes (like the one
pictured here) can be made
into 6” or 9” cakes.
What happens to the
centers of the center-filled
cupcakes? They get dipped
inchocolateandturnedinto
Molly-Pops, of course!
Molly’sservesitsownspecial
blend of Intelligentsia
coffee.
Cupcake lovers will be
delighted by the bakery’s
variety.
BAKERY HOURS
M: 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.
T-Th: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
F-Sa: 8 a.m. - 12 a.m.
S: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
LOCATION
2536 N. Clark St.
Lincoln Park
All photos The Phoenix/Alicia Ramirez

2. page 17CLOSER LOOK
15
E
verything about Molly’s
Cupcakes is sweet: from the
employees’ greetings to the
school room décor; from the luscious
buttercream frosting to the philanthropic
mission inspired by its namesake.
Ms. Molly was the third grade teacher of owner
and founder John Nicolaides. She was both a young
teacher and a good one, Nicolaides said, and most
importantly, she baked all of her students cupcakes for
their birthdays. Maybe it was his self-proclaimed crush
on Ms. Molly, maybe it was her undeniable baking
skills, but for some reason, those homemade treats had
a lasting impact on Nicolaides. He later obtained Ms.
Molly’s recipes and started baking her scrumptious
chocolate and vanilla cupcakes in 2001. Meanwhile,
working as a marketing consultant, he conceived the
brainchild that would become Molly’s Cupcakes.
When Molly’s opened up shop in Lincoln Park
about two years ago, it was
an unassuming bakery that
sold seven different kinds
of cupcakes. It was also the
realization of Nicolaides’
deeper mission. “I believe
the best way to change the
world is through education,”
Nicolaides said, and in the
spirit of Ms. Molly, he honors
that conviction through
Molly’s Cupcakes’ donations
to schools in the community.
Nicolaides’ first project was a
fundraiser at Molly’s forAlcott
Elementary School. He also
later sponsored their 115th
anniversary party. Schools
looking for aid can contact
Molly’s directly, and the bakery
provides individual gifts in the
form of cash donations and
fundraising bake sales.
When Nicolaides first
began his philanthropic and
entrepreneurial venture, he said he had no inkling
that it would reap so much success. Competing with
the copious cupcake boutiques and kitschy bakeries
that dot Chicago, not to mention franchised bakeries,
Molly’s has tasted sweet, sweet success. According to
Nicolaides, they now sell thousands of cupcakes every
day. Their seven varieties have multiplied to more than
20, ranging from the originals (chocolate and vanilla)
to the more exotic center-filled varieties like tiramisu,
lemon meringue and coconut cream. They even sell
vegan cupcakes. Molly’s also vends a full range of
Intelligentsia coffee drinks and whips up other treats like
pies, cookies and homemade ice cream. Nicolaides
is also planning an expansion to New York City.
Molly’s has blossomed into a Chicago
phenomenon. “If you Google Molly’s Cupcakes,”
Nicolaides comments, “it will say that we have
the best cupcakes in the city. It’s all because our
customers give us favorable ratings on restaurant
search engines.” In fact, Molly’s relies entirely
on reviews and
w o r d - o f -
mouth. Though
N i c o l a i d e s ’
background is
in advertising, he has
never run a single
Molly’s Cupcakes
ad campaign. Even
s o , h i s v e n t u r e
continues to garner
glowing reviews from
customers as well as
the press. Chicago
Magazine recently
voted their red velvet
cupcakes the best in
the city.
W h e n f i r s t
walking into Molly’s
Cupcakes, it smells
of warm ovens and
success. The happy
atmosphere seems to
reflect the popularity
the bakery enjoys. Whitley Gower, who has worked as
the delivery coordinator and a cashier at Molly’s for
about one year, said she was walking home one night
when a stranger greeted her with an emphatic, “Hey! I
know you! You work at Molly’s Cupcakes!”
Nicolaides seems to be constantly hard at work
— an observation that is supported by several of his
employees. “You wouldn’t think that owning a cupcake
shop would turn you into a high-powered executive,”
joked Gower, “but apparently that’s what it did to John.”
Upon meeting Nicolaides, though, he could hardly be
described as anything but friendly, laid-back and modest.
He was eager to attribute
Molly’s success to his
employees, with whom
he seemed to be good
friends. “In two years,”
he said, “no one here has
ever quit. It’s a great place
to work.” Indeed, nobody
wears a uniform and the
three employees behind
the counter can usually be
seen dancing to the radio,
gossiping and sharing
french fries. Nicolaides believes that a fun and friendly
atmosphere has proved to be an integral part of Molly’s
Cupcakes’ success. “We mostly serve college students,”
he says. They’ll come in during the evenings and just sit
and eat cupcakes and play board games for hours.”
Atmosphere aside, the actual cupcakes are both
artful and unflinchingly sinful. Molly’s uses fresh
ingredients to make cupcakes that are dangerously
delicious. Gower and Nicolaides said their favorites
were the blueberry cheesecake and the cookie dough,
respectively. The former was like the semi-divine
offspring of a cheese danish and a blueberry muffin,
topped with cream cheese frosting, pieces of buttery
graham cracker crust and fresh blueberries coated with
demerara sugar granules. The latter was stuffed with
cookie dough and topped with buttercream frosting
and mini chocolate chip cookies. Cupcakes like these
go for about $3.50, but the classic flavors are $2.00, the
mini cupcakes sell for $1.00 and the larger ones could
easily be shared by two or even three people. Customers
can also choose their own frostings or special toppings,
and even decorate their own desserts at the whimsical
“sprinkle station.”
Molly’s Cupcakes is a bright spot: for customers,
for school kids, for the employees themselves. And
people far and wide are getting in on the sweetness of
Ms. Molly’s legacy.
“In two years, no one
here has ever quit.
It’s a great place to
work.”
John Nicolaides
founder of Molly’s Cupcakes
Closer Look explores the award-winning Molly’s Cupcakes in Lincoln Park.
by Charis Caputo
Closer Look Writer
Two can play that game — Patrons of Molly’s
Cupcakes enjoy a fun, social atmosphere.
All photos The Phoenix/Alicia Ramirez
Design by Sidra Zaidi, Closer Look Editor
March 3, 2010