So cute, and yet so evil.

There’s a new business opening its doors in downtown Schenectady.  It’s a cupcake shop.  But I promise not to rant.

Sweet Temptations will open its fourth Capital Region location at Proctors 432 State Street address — offering a line of cupcakes and other sweet treats to theatergoers, downtown shoppers and employees.  Sweet Temptations plans a late May opening and will retrofit space that was occupied by Northeastern Fine Jewelry’s boutique store.

Which leads to the question: what happened to Northeastern Fine Jewelry?

Says Ray Bleser, owner of Northeastern Fine Jewelry:

Business at our Union Street Store, less than two miles away, was up 20% last year. When our lease expired at Proctors, I was approached about this space and given the proximity of our Union Street location we are pleased to make way for a new retailer to come into downtown.

Interesting.

Sweet Temptations is owned by sisters Nina Crisafulli and Salina Crisafulli.  Their flagship store is located at Kimberly Square in Loudonville, and they operate satellite locations at the Times Union Center in Albany and at the Great Escape in Lake George.

The downtown Schenectady location will feature mini-cakes (cupcake-sized, two-tiered cakes), as well as many different varieties of cupcakes. Sweet Temptations also will offer custom cakes and cake decorating services, muffin and cupcake assortments for business meetings, as well as gift baskets and party planning services.  Both ready-made and custom-made cakes and other baked goods will be available at Sweet Temptations.

If you’re wondering why the Crisafulli name sounds familiar: the Crisafulli Family has operated numerous successful business ventures in the Capital Region, including their plumbing and heating business which is now entering its third generation.

A question that comes to mind: did Bettie’s Cakes get an opportunity to investigate this location?  I know that Lorraine Murphy (owner of Bettie’s) has been an enthusiastic supporter of Proctors, and Schenectady in general.  This announcement seemed (to me) to come out of left field.

That said, I’ll check it out.  How can I not? It’s two blocks from my office.

And I promise to give them the benefit of the doubt.  Like I’ve said before, I don’t hate cupcakes per se, just the mania surrounding them.

Check out Sweet Temptations’ website