{"id":5063492,"date":"2024-11-22T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/illatinonews.com\/?p=5063492"},"modified":"2024-11-22T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T08:00:00","slug":"sazon-de-illinois-reinas-cakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/2024\/11\/22\/sazon-de-illinois-reinas-cakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Saz\u00f3n de Illinois: Reina\u2019s Cakes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">HUMBOLDT PARK \u2013 Window shopping on Division Street, it\u2019s impossible to miss the colorful mural and vibrant storefront announcing Reina\u2019s Cakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A warehouse that sat empty for years at 2550 W. Division St. is now home to Humboldt Park\u2019s only Latina-owned bakery and cake shop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI said to myself, if I\u2019m going to do it, I\u2019m going to offer everything,\u201d said Reina Marcelle, 53, who\u2019s the founder and owner of Reina\u2019s Cakes. \u201cI want this place to be for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle has certainly remained true to her word. The bakery has only been open for seven months but has quickly become the favorite among many Humboldt Park residents. Even Chicago tourists seek out the store, she said, learning about her elaborate creations and inspiring story from her Facebook page, which has garnered over 1,700 followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reina\u2019s Cakes offers dessert lovers 30 varieties of cake flavors ranging from banana pudding and chocolate coconut to the traditional \u201cbizcocho mojadito\u201d Puerto Rican almond cake. Gluten and sugar-free versions are also available for those with dietary restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"478\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_8896.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5063500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8896.jpg 478w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8896-224x300.jpg 224w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reina\u2019s Cakes offers over 30 varieties of cake flavors, including gluten and sugar-free options.<br>Credit: Claire Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle moved back to the neighborhood where she grew up in 2020 after raising a family in North Carolina for 25 years. Local customers became familiar with her signature cakes when she sold them from a decorative street cart with her face painted on it. The store catapulted the popularity of the cakes she has been baking since she was a teenager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s just such an honor. People come from all over the world,\u201d said Marcelle. \u201cI wake up every morning and go, \u2018I\u2019m going to make cakes, I\u2019m going to help people today. I know this is my purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle first started baking when she was 15 after her mother signed her up for a cake decorating class. Her love of cakes and passion for supporting her Puerto Rican community compelled her to pursue baking full-time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the height of the pandemic, she hit a breaking point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was working retail at the time and I was just tired of being a number. I was tired of not doing enough,\u201d she said. \u201cI refused to stay in a job that made me feel inadequate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle quit her cake decorating job at the Jewel with \u201c$25 in my pocket and a heart full of dreams,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During this time, she leaned on the support of community members and friends to motivate her. One friend gave her $50 to use as a first investment in starting her own business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[My friend] said to me, \u2018God had to take you out of your comfort zone so you can do what you\u2019re supposed to do,\u201d Marcelle said. \u201cLittle by little, I started saving money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle took a job as a cashier at a local restaurant to support herself until she could save enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was afraid of debt, I was afraid to owe anyone money, especially the bank. So I said what can I do to start a business without being in debt. That\u2019s where the cart came in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Convincing the restaurant owner to lend her a merchant cart, she quickly began to use it to sell<br>cakes in her off hours at the neighborhood\u2019s park. She bought an umbrella imported from India<br>to decorate the outside and hired a local artist to paint her portrait and logo on the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle sold her first cake out of the cart on Mother\u2019s Day in 2021. From there, she said, the rest was history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"542\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_8897.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5063501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8897.jpg 542w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8897-254x300.jpg 254w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 542px) 100vw, 542px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Reina stands in front of her cake merchant cart in 2022. Credit: Reina Marcelle\/Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle soon began selling her treats almost every day, in addition to leading cake decorating classes to make extra money. These pursuits didn\u2019t come without struggle, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere were some days I would go out for hours and not sell anything,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I kept telling myself, in any situation I faced, I had to figure it out. There was no excuse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She met Jos\u00e9 L\u00f3pez, executive director and co-founder of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (PRCC) at Humboldt Park\u2019s annual Fiesta Boricua. L\u00f3pez manages a number of local businesses in the neighborhood, including the Mercado Del Pueblo, an incubator initiative operating as a storefront for entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He promised her he had already reserved a space at the mercado. \u201cI want you to be the next Roeser\u2019s Bakery, but on Division,\u201d he told her. \u201cI turned around and said to him, \u2018I will,\u2019\u201d Marcelle said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flash forward and Reina\u2019s Cakes is the sole cake bakery on Division from Western to California avenue. With the support of PRCC, Marcelle was able to ditch the cart and open her very own store, almost three years to the day she first began selling cakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhen I cut that ribbon [at the store opening], I remember I looked at Jos\u00e9, and I said, \u2018I did it,\u201d Marcelle said. \u201cI used to dream about having a store here, and I believe with all my heart it was waiting for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ald. Jessie Fuentes (26th) spoke at the grand opening, which brought over 400 people to the store. \u201cWhen we talk about opening businesses [in Humboldt Park], we talk about supporting women like you,\u201d Fuentes said in a recorded video of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reina\u2019s Cakes celebrates the many faces of the community, with photographs of customers collaged all over the walls and hand-painted drawings of Puerto Rican flags inside hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"616\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_8898.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5063502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8898.jpg 616w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_8898-289x300.jpg 289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Community photo wall on display inside Reina\u2019s Cakes. Credit: Claire Murphy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a self-run business, Marcelle relies primarily on volunteers for baking support. Without a kitchen inside the store, all orders are hand-prepared in a certified kitchen nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Victoria Perez volunteers with Reina a few times a week, helping to prepare cakes and host decorating classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI see everything she does for the community, with the classes she leads and the people she knows. It\u2019s amazing,\u201d Perez said. \u201cShe takes care of all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Perez\u2019s granddaughter, Mylieniya Torres, also volunteers at the bakery. Learning from Marcelle has inspired her to start baking at home after school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c[Mylieniya] loves her. She\u2019s learned a lot because of her. I tell my daughter, who\u2019s a single mom, \u2018Look, [Reina] did it, and so can you,\u201d said Perez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle\u2019s influence on the community matches her motivations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI know I\u2019m supposed to make money, we all know that. But [Reina\u2019s Cakes] has nothing to do with the money,\u201d said Marcelle. \u201c[It\u2019s about how I can help these people, how I can influence these people and make a difference in the community that means everything to me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Marcelle said her next endeavor is writing a book about her journey and recipes. She believes sharing her story will inspire others to fight for their dreams and pursue their passions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s almost like magic. [People] come in, they come from all over and they want to hear what I have to say,\u201d said Marcelle. \u201cI used to tell myself when I would struggle, that one day I\u2019m going to tell my story. That\u2019s what I\u2019m doing now with every cake I bake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cover Photo: Reina Marcelle stands outside of her bakery, Reina\u2019s Cakes. Credit: Reina Marcelle\/Facebook<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"974\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/IMG_9158-974x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5063494\" style=\"width:169px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_9158-974x1024.jpeg 974w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_9158-285x300.jpeg 285w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_9158-768x807.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/illn\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2024\/11\/IMG_9158.jpeg 1324w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Claire Murphy is a master\u2019s student in the investigative specialization at Northwestern University\u2019s Medill School of Journalism. She is also a freelance journalist and a graduate of Santa Clara University, where she worked at The Santa Clara as an editor on the news team. Murphy previously served as an editorial consultant at Sant\u00e9 Global.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IL Latino News partners with Medill School of Journalism in providing students mentoring and real work experiences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reina\u2019s Cakes opened in April but the baker\u2019s sweet treats have been tempting taste buds in Humboldt Park for years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5063497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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Cakes opened in April but the baker\u2019s sweet treats have been tempting taste buds in Humboldt Park for years.","authors":[{"term_id":340,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"claire-murphy","display_name":"Claire 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