Indie entrepreneur Johnny Earle (aka Johnny Cupcakes) makes a rare stop at Royal Oak’s 323East on Saturday May 1 as part of his “Back to Basics” Suitcase Tour. One of only 30 U.S. tour dates, Johnny Cupcakes himself will be on hand to meet his fans and to sell his trademark limited edition (and highly collectible) line of Johnny Cupcakes T-shirts at 8:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Michigan-based gourmet cupcake shop Just Baked, will also be on hand, providing complimentary cupcakes baked especially for this event.
The Johnny Cupcakes brand started out as a joke in 2001, when college drop out Johnny Earle began selling shirts from the trunk of his beat up ’89 Toyota Camry. Earle’s shirts focused on the cupcake - often replacing popular iconic symbols with this universal treat. In fact the brand’s signature image is a twist on the traditional skull and crossbones symbol – with a cupcake replacing the skull. Earle’s unusual juxtaposition of cupcake imagery touched a nerve with fashion aficionados, and thus - Johnny Cupcakes was born.
Earle’s unique business model included steering clear of national corporate outlets for his shirts, even turning down lucrative offers from Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Hot Topic and more. Earle focused instead on creating truly limited edition T-shirts – once a shirt is sold out – it is never produced again – and creating a genuine community with his fans.
Flash forward to 2010 – Johnny Cupcakes is now a multimillion-dollar enterprise and bona fide success story, with three retail stores, including a toney Los Angeles location, and a legion of fans worldwide.
Earle’s “Back to Basics Suitcase Tour” is his way of bringing Johnny Cupcakes back to its roots, to meet his fans and to “celebrate the humble beginnings of my brand.” The Royal Oak stop will also include “six suitcase exclusive t-shirts and a few other specials that can only be purchased on my tour,” adds Earle. During early stops on this 30-date tour, hundreds of people have waited in line just to meet Earle, a true testament to the fervor fans have for Johnny Cupcakes!
In addition to Johnny Cupcakes shirts and accessories, there will be complimentary cupcakes provided by Just Baked. Just Baked is owned and operated by Pam and Todd Turkin, who opened their first location in Livonia in January 2009. Since it’s opening, the Turkins have opened three additional locations -- Ann Arbor, Twelve Oaks Collection and now Royal Oak.
Just Baked offers over 30 different flavors of gourmet, "jumbo" cupcakes including: rocky road, Grumpy Cake, s'mores, white chocolate raspberry and the famous “Fat Elvis” cupcake. In addition, they offer several traditional, buttercream "mini" cupcakes. All of their cupcakes are made fresh daily using the best ingredients.
Don’t miss an evening of cool tees and sweet treats at 323East!
323 East is a collection of creative energy materialized in a smashup of art, culture, lifestyle and creativity. Located 20 minutes north of Detroit in Royal Oak, MI; 323East is home to over 100 artists with rotating works in a variety of mediums. Recent solo exhibitions include local and international artists Glenn Barr, Ron Zakrin, and David Foox. In addition to the gallery, 323East’s new boutique offers 400 square feet of extra space dedicated to handmade goods by local and international artists including jewelry, handbags, clothing and more.
323East is located at 323 East Fourth Street in Royal Oak, Michigan. For more information visit www.323East.com.
