From Empty Streets to Thousands of Smiles – How Kawaii Cakes Became a Trusted Cake Shop Near VIT Chennai
E very business has a story. Some begin with grand openings and huge crowds. Our story began with empty roads, closed college gates and uncertainty. On 16th November 2020, Kawaii Cakes opened its doors near VIT Chennai. We were excited, nervous and hopeful about bringing fresh, affordable cakes to the community. Little did we know that our biggest challenge had only just begun. Opening a Cake Shop During COVID-19 We opened our bakery between the first and second waves of COVID-19. At that time, VIT Chennai—the largest university near our shop—was completely closed. Students had returned to their hometowns across India, classrooms were online, and the streets around our bakery were unusually quiet. Most of our early customers were local families from nearby areas such as Mambakkam, Kandigai, Kelambakkam, Ponmar and Puthupakkam. Every order, no matter how small, meant the world to us. Then came the second wave. Like many small businesses, we wondered what the future would look like. Wait...