Magnolia Bakery May Bring Its Cupcakes and Banana Pudding to Boston

An iconic bakery chain from New York City has once again started turning the cogs of expansion beyond the tri-state area and will consider Boston among its potential growth markets. Magnolia Bakery, which first opened in Greenwich Village in 1996, previously expanded to Chicago, Los Angeles, Honolulu, and internationally, and it is now investigating further opportunities in the Northeast, according to the Boston Business Journal.

The bakery chain — which was featured in Sex and the City and is at least partially responsible for launching the major cupcake craze of the early 2000s — is known for its classic cupcakes, cookies, and other sweet treats, including banana pudding. Bobbie Lloyd, the company’s vice president and chief baking officer, told the BBJ that Magnolia conducts a deliberate hiring process so as to better oversee quality control at each location. That task was accomplished abroad when Bloomingdale’s expanded to Dubai and wanted to include a New York-style bakery in the store, and Magnolia already had a location inside a NYC Bloomingdale’s.

Magnolia is also reportedly considering Washington, DC and Greenwich, CT in addition to Boston, and though no leases are definite yet, the new stores could open in late 2017 or early 2018.

• Magnolia Bakery Owner Looking at Bringing Cupcake Brand to Boston [BBJ]
• 20 Years of Magnolia Bakery: A Timeline [ENY]