Rosemount will be home to a new bakery next weekend as sisters Sarah and Ailsa Davidson prepare to bring their home baking business to the masses.
Sarah, 28, and 31-year-old Ailsa have run their firm, Gumblossom, from a separate home kitchen since distributing their first cookie box in May 2019.
Their drool-worthy giant cookies, brownies, cakes and brookies have given the business a following of more than 11,000 on Facebook and Instagram combined.
The sisters, from Stonehaven, have plans to open Gumblossom Bakeshop on Rosemount Place next Saturday, October 22.
It is based two doors down from the newly opened restaurant Tarragon by Graham Mitchell.
The store will be takeaway only and boast a team of four in the early stages including Sarah, Ailsa, their sister Beth and their mum Hazel. It is likely the team will increase in the future.
A ‘one-stop shop’ for bakers and foodies
The bakeshop’s location appealed to sisters from the get-go after spotting it whilst enjoying a cup of coffee in the area.
Ailsa said: “We spent a lot of time searching for the right site. We wanted to be city centre.
“After spotting the for let sign, we called and arranged a viewing the next week.
“Rosemount has always been a hub for small businesses, so when the opportunity for this shop came up, we had to take it.”
The space consists of a storage and staff area, a kitchen at the back, and a shop counter to the front. Here is where customers can expect to pick up a range of sweet treats.
Sarah said: “We will have a counter dishing up all our usual cookies, brownies, cakes, and some new favourites.
“We will have takeaway coffee, tea and other drinks, too, as well as a space where we will stock candles, cards and cake decorating supplies for fellow bakers. It will be a one-stop shop!”
Gumblossom Bakeshop was an “empty shell” when the pair took it on, but it has been transformed into their dream space.
They have carried out as much of the work themselves where possible, including painting, creating a new kitchen, and furnishing the front of the shop.
Examples of bakes you can expect to find include caramel crunchy brookie bars, Kinder Happy Hippo cookies, cookies and cream cookies, Biscoff and white chocolate brookies, and Ferrero Rocher brownies.
There will also be celebration cakes available to buy, as well as coffee by Dear Green, tea by Eteaket, and hot chocolate.
A concept born in Australia
Sarah and Ailsa have both been interested in baking from a young age, making a variety of treats regularly with their mum.
But it wasn’t until relocating to Australia in 2014 that they started contemplating the idea of starting a baking firm.
Ailsa said: “Sarah worked full-time in a bakery in Australia.
“They have amazing coffee and cake there, so it made us start to think about having our own venture at some point.”
Sarah added: “I have always worked in hospitality, later going on to work as a general manager at a hotel in the centre of Edinburgh.
“Ailsa worked in cafes and coffee shops before moving into logistics.”
Sarah has worked full-time with Gumblossom since leaving hotel work at the start of 2019, while Ailsa initially joined part-time whilst contracting in logistics until going full-time in August last year.
And recently, the sister unveiled their new converted horsebox which they will be dishing out products from at events across the north-east.
They are looking forward to having “a bigger and better space to work” when Gumblossom Bakeshop opens.
“Our little home kitchen was great during the pandemic and for starting off, but we are really starting to outgrow the space,” Ailsa said.
“We’re also looking forward to meeting our loyal customers face-to-face.”
Sarah added: “It will give us the space to grow and make more bakes for the shop, as well as our new converted horsebox, which we will be using at events.”
Conversation