LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas cupcake shop that has served customers for two decades will close permanently on Jan. 31.
Pamela Jenkins, owner of The Cupcakery, said economic pressures have made it impossible for her small business to continue operating. She said tariffs have increased her costs while reducing customer traffic.
“I lost 40% of business pretty much the day that those tariffs came into effect. I’ve seen a lot of different small bakeries my size close all over the country,” Pamela Jenkins told FOX5.
The Cupcakery became known for serving celebrities and community members alike during its 20-year run. Jenkins said she has served presidents, rock stars, and other celebrities, including Pharrell Williams and director Quentin Tarantino.
“20 years for a business my size, considering COVID, considering the circumstances, is a really good run,” Jenkins contended.
“We had a lot of community support since the day we opened our doors,” she revealed.
“I think that keeping brick and mortar open for many small businesses anymore is hard – I’m not a necessity. I’m not in plumbing. I’m not an electrician. I sell cupcakes, which people unfortunately don’t need to stay alive,” Jenkins explained.
Jenkins described her feelings about the closure as bittersweet.
“Devastation, of course, when it first hit me, like, ‘Oh, my God, what am I going to do?’ And then came, honestly, some feelings of relief in a way, because the bills are so high and the expenses are so high and the struggle is so real,” she confessed.
Jenkins said she was late on rent payments multiple times while struggling to pay bills, and her landlord will not renew her lease.
The Cupcakery’s lease expires on Jan. 31, which will be the business’s final day of operation.
Copyright 2025 KVVU. All rights reserved.
