Ashlie’s Pop Shop is a one-woman operation turning out cake pops in flavors you won’t find at any grocery store bakery – all from the comfort of her home! Her cute, self-serve, roadside pop-up shop launched in July, and since then she’s been stocking the cooler day in and day out, much to the delight of her neighbors and the community she’s building around her business.
I caught up with Ashlie to talk about the inspiration behind starting her pop-up business, what the future holds, and how it feels knowing her cake pops bring a smile to everyone’s face who encounters them.
How did Ashlie’s Pop Shop get its start? What is your background?
Ashlie’s Pop Shop started as a passion project. I have always loved baking and actually wanted to be a baker for a while growing up! I opted for a career in healthcare, but that’s didn’t stop me from baking. I had brought a batch of cake pops into work for a coworkers who were leaving us, and the response was astronomical. In that moment I knew I could make something out of this!
How long have you been in business? What was your inspiration to get started?
I have only been in business for about 3 weeks! The response from the community has been amazing and truly pushing me to keep going. When I was young, before school age, the most wonderful woman named Donna used to watch my sister and I as well as several other kids from the town while our parents were working. She also ran a very successful cake business out of her home, which she still has today!
There were always cupcakes in the house for the kids and we were able to bake together occasionally. Being exposed to such creativity at a young age definitely serves as key inspiration for the start of my own business. To watch a woman be able to chase her dreams out of her own home building something special from the ground up was truly inspiring!
What is Ashlie’s Pop Shop, and why did you feel it would be a good fit in Milwaukee?
Ashlie’s Pop Shop is a passion project of mine that I have turned into a neighborhood business! It is a self-serve cake pop cooler with rotating flavors where customers can stop by grab some treats with options for electronic payments or cash! I sell them 1 for $3 or 2 for $5. I also accept custom orders to my business email. I feel the self-serve aspect really takes the pressure out of decision-making! It is truly my creative outlet, baking hobby, and entrepreneurial side hustle all rolled into one!
What’s the mission behind Ashlie’s Pop Shop?
My mission is to turn my creative outlet into something that can give back and serve my community! A large portion of my customer demographic are children and I hope when they stop at Ashlie’s Pop Shop they are able to see that you don’t need a huge business platform or perfect jumping off point to do what you love.
What is it like being a small business in MKE?
Being a small business owner in the Milwaukee area has been such an eye opening experience. One of my favorite parts of being a small business in this area is seeing how much people genuinely want to support local entrepreneurs.
Every customer, share, recommendation, and kind message means so much when you’re the person behind every single cake pop. At the same time, being a small business owner has definitely taught me that there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes than people see. You’re the baker, the marketer, the accountant, the designer, the customer service department, and everything in between. There are challenges that come with figuring out regulations, managing costs, building a customer base, and simply learning as you go.
As a woman-owned business, I’m especially proud to be part of Milwaukee’s community of women entrepreneurs. There is something really empowering about creating something from the ground up and being able to say, “I did this.” I hope Ashlie’s Pop Shop can also be an example to other people who have a passion project sitting in the back of their mind that they’re afraid to pursue.
For me, as someone who moved here a year ago, being a small business in the MKE area isn’t just about selling cake pops. It’s about becoming part of the community, meeting people, creating something that brings a little happiness to someone’s day, and showing that sometimes the smallest ideas can turn into something really special.
What do you like about being in the Milwaukee area?
I felt like Ashlie’s Pop Shop would be a great fit for Milwaukee because Milwaukee really embraces small businesses and local makers. I love that there’s such a strong sense of community here, and I wanted to create something that felt fun, approachable, and different while still being very local. A self-serve cake pop cart felt like the perfect way to bring a little creativity and sweetness to the neighborhood. I also love that Milwaukee has such a unique personality, and I wanted Ashlie’s Pop Shop to add to that. I wanted something people could stumble upon, get excited about, and hopefully come back to again and again.
What’s your favorite part about what you’re doing?
My favorite part about making cake pops is honestly the creative process. I’ve always been a super creative person and love a good craft or project, so cake pops have become an art form for me. As I’ve gotten more into the design aspect, I’ve loved experimenting with colors, themes, decorations, and finding ways to turn a simple cake pop into something really fun and unique. I love that I get to make something that not only tastes good, but looks good too!
What can people expect when grabbing a cake pop from your stand?
When you stop by Ashlie’s Pop Shop, you’re in for a flavor adventure and a front row seat to my creative process. Each cake pop is handcrafted and thoughtfully designed, with fun flavors and unique details that make every one feel special. And because each flavor is made in limited quantities, there’s always an element of surprise when you visit. You might find your favorite, discover a new one, or have to come back another day to try a flavor you missed. It’s kind of like collecting your favorite playing cards…..Can you taste them all?
What does the future look like for you? What do you hope to grow Ashlie’s Pop Shop into?
I think the future of Ashlie’s Pop Shop is staying small, local, and community-focused while continuing to grow creatively. I have a full-time job that I love and intend to keep, so I don’t necessarily see this becoming a traditional storefront or something that loses the charm of being a small, neighborhood business. For me, the fun is in keeping it personal and having that little cake pop cart be something unique to the community.
One thing I’ve really discovered since starting is just how many other cottage bakers and small food businesses are right here in my neighborhood. I’ve always believed there is room for everyone, and I would love to collaborate with other local bakers and makers on fun, creative projects. I think there’s something really special about small businesses supporting and creating alongside one another. I also have some exciting ideas in the works involving the neighborhood kids.
One idea I’m especially excited about is creating a cake pop coloring sheet that kids can take home from the cart, color, and submit to my business email. Each month, I’ll choose one child’s drawing and turn their creation into a real cake pop flavor and design to sell at the cart. The child will also receive a half-dozen cake pops of their creation for free. That’s the kind of growth I want for Ashlie’s Pop Shop—not necessarily bigger, but more connected to the community and more creative.
Anything else we should know about your business or anything you’d like to mention? Any favorite stories so far?
One of my favorite parts of running Ashlie’s Pop Shop is getting to see the excitement it brings to people in my own neighborhood. I work nights at my full-time job, so I’m home during the day and get to be there when people stop by the cart. Seeing someone’s face light up when they walk over and realize there are cake pops waiting for them never gets old.
One thing that especially melts my heart is seeing kids count up the money they’ve earned from doing their chores, birthdays, ect and then decide that a cake pop is what they want to spend it on. Knowing they worked hard to earn that money and chose to spend a little bit of it at my business is such a special feeling. I also absolutely love getting to know my regulars, whether that’s chatting with them when they stop by or interacting with them through social media. Seeing familiar names, faces, and messages pop up has been one of the most unexpected and rewarding parts of starting this business.
The community that has already formed around Ashlie’s Pop Shop is something I truly didn’t anticipate, and it’s quickly become my favorite part of the whole experience.