Bliss Creations, a one-stop sweet treat shop, opened online in March 2017. Shupi Mapuranga, self-taught baker and owner of Bliss Creations, has used baking as her creative avenue to explore countless decorating possibilities. Since the beginning, the goal has been to please both aesthetics and appetites. Their specialties include decorated sugar cookies, cake pops, and macarons.
“A majority of my customers are small business owners themselves, whether they’re just doing side hustling or running their business full-time. So, it’s like a wheel; one supports another to keep the businesses in the city that are run by people that you know,” Mapuranga said.
Bliss Creations is located in what looks like an ideal Instagram page come to life. Pastel pink decor adorns the walls while the delicious, impeccably decorated treats line the shelves. Alongside the baked goods, they also carry merchandise for other small, locally owned businesses. Beautifully crafted rings, necklaces, crystals, and more act as glittering lights that complement the main attraction: sweets!
“Everything was kind of self-funded. When I would make money off orders. I just bring that stuff back into the business and a lot of saving,” Mapuranga said. Bliss Creations is currently open from Fridays to Sundays. As a one-person business team, she oversees everything from keeping up the storefront to baking and decorating. When she’s not helping customers at the cash register, Mapuranga tends to her online customer base, ensuring that all orders are made with care and love.
What burgeoned from a humble KW small business program is now a full-fledged bakery in Cambridge, with a storefront and strong customer base. Bliss Creations first started to gain traction at farmers’ markets in Uptown Waterloo and The Hustler Market in Cambridge. However, the pandemic caused Bliss Creations its fair share of issues.
“Being a food business, I somewhat was able to still continue running the business. I could offer porch side drop off, contactless delivery,” Marupanga said. “[But] I didn’t know if I myself was comfortable putting myself out there in that position.”
Her baking journey started when she was in high school. Her mother is a chef, and she grew up with an appreciation for culinary arts. Mapuranga began using the baking skills she had learned from YouTube tutorials to bake sweet treats for her family and friends.
Walking along the main street of downtown Galt where Bliss Creations now stands, a strong sense of community and nostalgia hangs in the air. The shop walls are painted a pale pink and eggshell white, along with small flowers and plants. This thoughtful and personable design makes the store look like something out of a baking magazine.
“I know lots of people have online businesses, where they just sell the treats and kind of ship them off. But, for me, I really wanted to get in front of my customers, be able to meet people in the community,” Mapuranga said.
Ever dedicated to the community, Bliss Creations does not participate in traditional marketing. Most marketing has been through word of mouth and social media. As an owner, Mapuranga always prefers to lean on the support of her community and their recommendations. She attracts customers with her treats on Instagram. Bliss Creations relies on Mapuranga’s strong relationship with her fellow community members.
“It was really nice to get that one-on-one interaction with customers at the market. Being front-facing, I think was something very important to me because I really like to chat with my customers about the treats or, honestly, just anything,” Mapuranga said.
For more information, visit @blisscreations.kw on Instagram or the store at 41 Water St. N., Cambridge.