The opening of a bakery in Hartsdale that specializes in bundt cakes along with other dessert items and gift merchandise is being welcomed by Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner as an example of the types of small businesses that are needed right now to fill vacant storefronts and keep Greenburgh”™s retail economy healthy.
Feiner was among those attending a Nov. 4 ribbon-cutting to formally open Nothing Bundt Cakes at 303 North Central Ave. The franchise is part of a national chain that has more than 410 outlets in the U.S. and Canada, six of which are in New York state.
Twin sisters Florentina and Andreea Enica, the local store”™s owners, are natives of Romania. Both had embarked on careers in tennis: Andreea came to the U.S. to go to college on a tennis scholarship while Florentina pursued her studies in France.
“After college I just decided to get together with my twin and the U.S. has so many opportunities,” Florentina told the Business Journal. “This business here brought us together.”
Andreea said that she sees what”™s been happening to them as the American dream.
“We came to the States not speaking much English,” Andreea said. “I had the opportunity to come and play tennis and I was offered the scholarship so that was a door opening for me. From there, opportunities came our way, We worked hard and here we are today making this dream together.”
Andreea said that Westchester reminds her very much of Romania.
“I lived in Texas for a few years but, as you know, Texas does not have the four seasons so being back in this area, just the seasons themselves, reminds me of home,” Andreea said. “We”™ve been welcomed. We want to bring the joy to people but it really feels like people are bringing the joy to us.”
Andreea explained that they are using the tagline “Bring the Joy” to help sell the cakes.
”Our cakes are delicious, so every time somebody takes a bite of our cake we just hear every single time ”˜Wow,”™ so it”™s bringing them joy and them bringing us joy,” Andreea said.
Florentina said that they are investigating the possibility of opening additional Nothing Bundt Cakes locations. The franchisor, which was founded in 1997, is based in Dallas.
Feiner said that having local retailers who are enthusiastic about their businesses and determined to be successful creates momentum that may help attract new businesses to fill the vacant storefronts that exist in Greenburgh.
“With e-commerce, it”™s tough for many small businesses to survive, so if we get the right mix of new businesses then I think it generates momentum,” Feiner told the Business Journal. “If this is successful, other people who are looking at choosing locations in Greenburgh will say, ‘Let”™s give Hartsdale, let”™s give Greenburgh a chance,”™ and I think that”™s one of the biggest assets.
“People go with business districts that are winners,” he continued, “so if this is a winner and somebody”™s reluctant, they”™re not sure if they want to open a business here, maybe they”™ll decide to choose Greenburgh.”
Feiner said that communities need to create business-friendly environments.
“I think the most important thing we can do is to have an environment where businesses feel they can count on the town to be a friend, not an enemy,” Feiner said. “We want to work with them, we want to encourage them to open up here. We want to help promote their stores. If they have a problem, I want business owners to feel they have direct access to me.”
Feiner, who was just elected to his 16th term as Greenburgh town supervisor, said Nothing Bundt Cakes is exactly the type of business the town wants to attract.
“It”™s difficult for many small businesses right now. If we get the right mixture I think we can have a really fantastic Central Avenue,” Feiner said.
