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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 23, 2015)
12A • January 23, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com Seaside baker prepares to open storefront Down-home atmosphere Michael Soprano brings wholesale experience and a passion for cakes and baking By Mike Williams EO Media Group Michael Soprano spent the past two years building up his whole- sale and custom clientele, making cakes, cupcakes and other baked goods; now he’s ready to take the operation to Main Street. Well, North Holladay Drive, ac- tually. Soprano plans to open Three Little Birds Bakery next to Beach Books in the Gilbert Block. He hopes to have the store open by the end of March, in time to catch the spring break crowds. Soprano and Beach Books own- er Karen Emmerling may open the double doors between the stores. “A book store and a bakery go perfect together,” he said. He’s still working on the menu. He’s got the general menu worked out, but he’ll be rotating items on a regular basis. “So it’s not going to be one set menu all the time,” he said. “A few WKLQJVDUHJRLQJWRKDYHÀDYRUVRI the week.” He’s also soliciting menu sug- gestions on his Facebook page. To avoid duplicating his neigh- bors’ offerings, he will not offer do- nuts or specialty coffee. He’ll have drip coffee, but not the espresso and MIKE WILLIAMS PHOTO SUBMITTED PHOTO other items offered across the street. Staying true to his Italian heri- tage, he plans to offer cannoli and RWKHU,WDOLDQLWHPV\RXFDQ¶W¿QGLQ town. He also offers gluten-free, dairy- free and some vegan options. Soprano continues to take orders for cakes and other items while he prepares to open the shop on Hol- laday. He specializes in cakes with ÀDLU There’s the golf course cake complete with putting green and the gingerbread castle under attack by a ¿UHEUHDWKLQJGUDJRQ In a bit of irony, he made a giant cupcake for a customer in Astoria. This wholesale customer stocked vanilla chai cupcakes for a coffee shop. Her daughter loved the cup- cakes, so Soprano made a vanilla chai cupcake that was 10 inches in diameter and 10 inches tall. “I’ve always been an artist grow- ing up, and this is basically artistry with icing,” he said. Visitors will be able to watch him decorate cakes at the bakery. Building the business Soprano’s going all in as he adds the retail component to his business. “I’m investing pretty much ev- erything I’ve got,” he said. “I’m still working on some of the tradi- WLRQDO¿QDQFLQJDVZHOO´ Soprano, a Navy veteran, also Baker Michael Soprano specializes in “cakes with a flair,” including this Super Bowl cake. He plans to open his Seaside bakery at the end of March. has access to funding as a disabled veteran. He sought help as he’s built his business. He received counseling from the 6FRUHPHQWRULQJRI¿FHLQ9DQFRX- ver and from the Small Business 'HYHORSPHQW&HQWHURI¿FHLQ6HD- side. The community has been sup- portive, he said. Word of mouth has proven to be his most effective mar- keting tool. “Once people taste it, next thing I know a week later I get somebody saying, ‘I was at so and so’s party and had one of your cakes. I’ve got a birthday coming up; can you do mine?’” First Saturday Art Walk set for Feb. 7 Seaside’s First Saturday Art Walk is set from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 7. Art-centric events are booked in businesses between Holladay Drive and Broad- way in the historic Gilbert Dis- trict. Complimentary parking for the Gilbert Block is avail- able on the corner of Holladay Drive and Oceanway. Participating businesses and their artists are: • T. Anjuli’s, 5 N. Holla- day Drive: Artist Billy Lutz is the owner/ resident artist. His art work focuses on what lies beneath appearances. • Seaside Coffee House, 3 N. Holladay Drive: Artist Morgan Soller works in rich- ly detailed drawings using colored pencils and ink. • Beach Books, 616 Broad- way: Featuring Arctic Light, an image by Neal Maine/ 3DFL¿F/LJKW 1DWXUH ,PDJHV Karen Marsten Emmerling and Denise Fairweather are the co-sponsors of an upcom- ing presentation of Maine’s Alaska adventures. • J. Rae’s Wines, 608 Broadway: Artist Marcus Lundell uses a traditional reverse glass painting tech- nique on distressed windows, as well as new and vintage picture frames, to create his images. His window views include classic landscapes and comedic characters — sometimes juxtaposed in the same scene. • Fairweather House and Garden, 612 Broadway: Opens an exhibit called “Qui- et Anticipation.” Featured art will be from pastel artist Gre- tha Lindwood, realistic land- scape painter Lori Aylesworth and nature photographer Neal Maine. Music Local musi- cian Brad Griswold plans to play bluegrass, country, tra- GLWLRQDO¿GGOHWXQHVDQGMD]] standards on acoustic guitar; The name of the business is a tribute to his favorite Bob Marley song and to his three daughters who happen to love birds. The song was playing on the Internet radio as he was putting the business plan WRJHWKHU 7KH VRQJ ¿QLVKHG DQG immediately started playing again. He took it as a sign. This North Carolina native and his wife met when he was in the Navy. She grew up in the Seaside area. The family moved here in 2006. He had always enjoyed baking. “My mother used to do all the family’s wedding cakes and all that,” he said, “and with me being the youngest, I was in the kitchen helping, and I learned a lot more than I thought I did.” Baking stayed with him as he got older. After 10 years in the Navy, friends and family encour- aged him to make a living with the mixer and the oven. In addition to his other tasty menu items, his grandmother’s 100-year-old recipe for vanilla pound cake and southern desserts will likely make the list. Soprano aims for a warm, hom- ey feel to Three Little Birds Bak- ery when he opens in the Gilbert Block. “I don’t want to be one of these modern upscale big-city bakeries,” he said. “I want you to feel like you’re having something at your mother’s house.” µ6ZHHW$IIDLUH¶EHQH¿W lined up for Feb. 8 SUBMITTED PHOTO Marcus Lundell’s “Prom Queen,” will be on display at J. Rae’s Wines during the First Saturday Art Walk” Feb. 7. he is a member of the lo- cal band The Floating Glass Balls. A Sweet Affaire is planned from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, in the Seaside Civic and Con- vention Center. Sponsored by the Sun- set Empire Park and Rec- reation District, the event showcases appetizers pre- sented by area restaurants, specialty sweets, winer- ies, local brews and other beverages. Shirley Smith Yates will provide music. Items for the silent and oral auctions can be previewed on the “Sweet Affaire” Facebook page. Proceeds pay for scholar- ships for youth and others in the community. In 2014 more than $22,000 in scholarships were awarded for people to participate in district programs. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at Sunset pool, 1140 Broadway, or call 503-738-3311 ext 101 or visit www.sunsetem- pire.com