Employees at Sprinkles Cupcakes, once a beloved bakery chain, were taken aback by the announcement that all locations will close permanently. On the last day of business, orders surged, leading to a chaotic atmosphere that one staff member described as both “busy and very sad.”
The bakery, originally from California, revealed its plans to shut down after nearly two decades of operation in a shocking statement on Wednesday.
Kimberly Salgado, who had been with the company for three years, shared that she received just 24 hours’ notice before her final shift at the Irvine store.
“It’s been a whirlwind today, and I’ve felt really sad. After today, it’s all just… over,” she reflected shortly after closing the doors for the last time.
After the news broke, Salgado mentioned the store experienced a massive influx of orders, as customers hurried to grab their last cupcakes.
“At first, we had about 20 pre-orders. Then, once the announcement hit, it skyrocketed to 85,” she noted, a mix of enthusiasm and disbelief in her tone.
As the day unfolded, staff found themselves managing both the surge of final orders and the shock of the closure announcement. Salgado recalled how she initially hesitated to believe the news. “When my manager told me, I thought, ‘No way, this can’t be true.’ But as it sunk in, I felt sadness and anger—it felt like a betrayal,” she confessed.
Amidst the surprise, there was a palpable sadness. “Everyone was taken aback, but we didn’t really discuss it openly. Our bakery always seemed to thrive, especially during the holidays,” Salgado continued. She expressed suspicion that the higher-ups had known about the shutdown for some time, saying, “It felt like a betrayal after all the hard work we put in.”
As the store closed, Salgado and her colleagues shared tears, reflecting on their shared experiences and the closure of a chapter in their lives. “It’s really disheartening to lose our jobs and not be a team anymore,” she added.
For Salgado, baking was not just a job—it was her passion. “To have it taken away so abruptly feels unreal,” she said.
She acknowledged the community’s reactions, noting many customers were expressing their love for the brand on social media. However, she expressed a desire for people to also consider the employees affected by the closure. “It feels rather dystopian to see people enjoying cupcakes, while staff who created them are losing their livelihoods,” she remarked.
Nelson founded Sprinkles in 2005, gaining fame with innovations like the Cupcake ATM in 2012. In a statement, she reflected on the unexpected nature of the closure, expressing her initial hopes for the brand’s enduring legacy.
The official closure notice cited “financial circumstances due to unforeseen business conditions” as the driving force behind the shutdown. The statement also reassured that efforts would be made to handle the downsizing orderly, preserving whatever value remained.
