A small business that’s hated – in the best possible way

Not long after Sylvia Emmer launched her kiosk officially on Mother’s Day in The Westchester in White Plains, a man approached her and said he hated her. Emmer smiled at the memory. 

“He meant it as a compliment.” 

Emmer, you see, is the owner of the Woops! Macarons & Gifts Westchester franchise, offering 16 different flavors of the French cookie for sale as well as for events and corporate gifting. 

“It’s creamy, and there are so many varieties and colors,” Emmer said of the tempting treat, which in its present sandwich form of almond flour meringue shells and flavored fillings was created in 19th-century Paris. “They’re a social expression and Instagram-able.” (Not to mention the jaunty packaging in pink, purple and sea-green, bearing such celebratory phrases as “Happy Birthday,” “I love you” and “Beach, please.”) 

And given that macarons are tricky to make – each takes 48 hours – they are more likely to be bought than created at home. They’re also naturally gluten-free – although the Belgian locale where these are made may have gluten particles, and they are clearly not for people with allergies to nuts or dairy. (Two vegan offerings will be available in August.) 

Thus far, red velvet, birthday cake and cookies and cream are the three most popular flavors, not necessarily in that order – although we have to say you can’t go wrong with the classic vanilla. And while the macarons are meant to be served at room temperature, Emmer said, we found the vanilla and pistachio samples from the kiosk’s mini fridge to be absolutely delectable. 

For the more adventurous, there are two other offerings. Think of the Cremebello, a Woops! creation, as a creamier s’more with a dome of meringue cream and a waffle biscuit base draped in various chocolate mixtures. The denser Latin alfajor is a buttery sandwich cookie with a dulce de leche caramel filling that comes in traditional, dark chocolate and white chocolate variations.

Woops! was born in 2012 when four friends – Tal Avivi, Raj Bhatt, Gal Danay and Gil Kiryati – decided to open a pop-up at the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park in Manhattan. In nine weeks, they sold $250,000 worth of macarons, leading someone to exclaim, “Woops, we have a business.”  

 And not just a business but one that could be franchised to take a big bite out of the multibillion-dollar retail bakery sector as well as the $240 billion corporate gifting industry, offering same- day pickup and delivery. (In calendar year 2022, Woops! had 25 franchises – 21 mobile, two shops and two boutiques – for a combined $7 million-plus in gross retail revenue.) 

 With startup costs ranging from $64,875 to $139,475, Emmer – an 18-year resident of Greenburgh by way of Queens – took the plunge. Possessing a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Hunter College; a Master of Arts in organizational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University; and 27 years of experience in human resources, Emmer found that creating a team for her kiosk played to her strengths. There are four part-time sales representatives, all of whom are students. Said Emmer: “I’m pleased with the team….They’re very responsible,” although she added, “a business is only as good as the owner makes it.” 

 She is now honing her sales and marketing skills, but with a friendly demeanor and an understanding of the human mind – and tastes buds – she seemed like a natural. 

Already, Emmer’s psyching herself up for the holiday seasons, one of the big retail moments for Woops! and The Westchester. The other two are Mother’s Day (hence her opening) and Valentine’s Day. 

 The sales pitch? “Take a bite and fall in love.” 

For more, call 914-247-4565 or visit  https://bywoops.com/locations/woops-westchester/.