Opening its third location, The Cupcake Collection has opened its newest concept, The Cupcake Collection Café. Sunday September 21 more than 600 people converged on the eatery and bakery combination at 2543 Lebanon Pike.

The Grand Opening served as an appreciation event to the many customers and friends that the Francois family has built over the past five years. Mignon greeted guests on the red carpet sharing “I thought this would take me five weeks but it took me five months to do this.”

Though it may have taken longer than expected, just like the other locations, the Donelson one is completely debt free.

Francois says she that wouldn’t have been possible without God.

“I pray about everything and that’s how I end up looking good in the end.”

Francois says she started Cupcake Collection with no money, no credit and no experience. So how did she take all those negatives and produce the one negative everyone wishes to have…no debt? She followed her first brain.

Throughout her journey in creating the Cupcake Collection, which she shared to me she didn’t even intend to do, Mignon faced many challenges. But whenever she was confronted with a challenge she did the first thing that little voice in her mind told her to do. That voice, that she says is God.

“How many times do we say ‘I wish I didn’t go with my first thought?’ Never!” said Mignon.
And that’s exactly what she did. She followed her gut instincts and did what they told her to do immediately, she didn’t wait. Mignon says she still does that today even though some of her trusted friends and family might think they are crazy ideas. It was those crazy ideas that made a new Donelson shop possible.

The shop is definitely a one of a kind experience. Along with cupcakes and specialty custom cakes, the Donelson shop offers soups, salads, sandwiches, a seating area, wifi, and coffee sourced by Bongo Java, staffed by TCC trained baristas. Additionally, the Café will have extended hours from the Germantown bakery, opening early for coffee and closing at 6:30pm for early dinner, with lunch in between.

This past April owner Mignon Francois began a lease in the former Becker’s Bakery. The longstanding Donelson mainstay closed after 80+ years in business. “My kids enjoyed going to Becker’s as they grew up. When I was told it would be closing I took it as an opportunity to keep a bakery in the community, while also adding a place for people to come in for lunch, have coffee, or even host aspecial event,” shares Francois.

Last year, the bakery began offering national shipping and local delivery services. After an overwhelming response, the new location will provide larger space,almost 3500 sq. ft., to house commercial sized baking equipment, a full service food station and decorating area to accommodate greater shipping, delivery, and in-store needs.

The Francois’ will continue operating its Germantown location, 1213 6th Avenue North.

More photos from the grand opening…

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