A Sweet Deal
Gigi's Cupcakes Continues its Commitment to Community
There’s something about the aroma of freshly baked cupcakes. Maybe it reminds us of childhood, or a parent or grandparent. It’s comforting and energizing. And it brings people together. Providing that type of community-minded product is why SuZanne and Grant Rogers first decided to open Gigi’s Cupcakes in West Omaha five years ago. And it’s a legacy that new owners Tammy and Scott Green hope to continue as they operate and grow their new business.
SuZanne said they originally wanted a business that their whole family could be involved in and that supported their desire for charity work and involvement with community such as school and church sponsorships. On a corporate level Gigi’s Cupcakes was aligned with that mission and provided an ongoing, high level of support, even though it’s headquartered in Tennessee. “We’ve had very good experience with Gigi’s as a franchise, and it’s bittersweet to give it up,” SuZanne said.
The reason behind their decision to sell is that their sons are in high school and they want more time to participate in their activities and launch into new personal ventures. SuZanne said she will still be available to consult for the Greens as needed and will continue to keep in touch with employees. “We established the brand in Omaha, were a Best of Omaha winner three years in a row, and developed strong relationships with both employees and customers,” she said. “We’re so grateful for everything and will continue to be strong advocates for Omaha.”
"We're so grateful for everything and will continue to be strong advocated for Omaha."
- Suzanne Roger
When SuZanne first met Tammy and Scott, she said they hit it off right away. “I thought to myself, these are the right people. I thought they cared about the same things I did and had the sensitivity toward people, product, operations, and sales.” The feeling was mutual. “We really liked SuZanne, and she presented the business so well,” Scott said. In fact, he and Tammy made their decision to purchase Gigi’s that same day after meeting SuZanne. “It’s such a family-oriented business,” Tammy added. “She cares about her employees and they care about her. We want to keep it that way.”
Finding a family-oriented business was important to the Greens. They have four children, and showing them what’s involved with owning your own business is something they want to provide for them as they grow up. They had been exploring more retail-type businesses, and then when they discovered Gigi’s was for sale, they were immediately interested. “We had gone to Gigi’s for Scott’s birthday and the next day we found out it was for sale,” Tammy said. “Everyone had been talking about how good the birthday cupcakes were!” The Greens also have a daughter named Gigi—another heartwarming coincidence.
Tammy and Scott originally began looking to purchase a business to enable Tammy to spend more time with their children. As a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, she was traveling up to three days a week. Scott is the vice president of a manufacturing company and was interested in diversifying financially. There were a number of other appealing aspects about Gigi’s. The location was near their home, the hours of operation worked well with family life, and it was something their daughters could be involved in.
The type of business also fit with both of their strengths. Tammy excels at customer service and will run the daily operations, while Scott can oversee the financials. They have no plans to make any changes to Gigi’s, but will focus on maintaining its high level of success. “It’s exciting and nerve wracking at the same time,” Tammy said. “There’s something new to learn every week, but once we go through training, hopefully we’ll progress quickly.”
"Over time the Greens hope to grow Gigi's and expand the business, perhaps opening kiosks in town and even adding a second location"
The actual process of purchasing the business went quickly as well. The Greens and Rodgers’ attributed much of that to working with The Firm. “The sale wasn’t overwhelming. The Firm did a good job of keeping us informed,” Scott said. SuZanne wanted a company to represent her that was professional, honest, and had good communication, and she said that’s exactly how The Firm works. “The Firm has close ties to the community like we do, which was important to me,” she said.
Over time the Greens hope to grow Gigi’s and expand the business, perhaps opening kiosks in town and even adding a second location. For now they are looking to SuZanne’s leadership in the community and to become involved as much as possible with local schools, the chamber of commerce, and other organizations, as well as to establish similar strong connections with employees and customers. And SuZanne feels they’ll be successful in their efforts. “I’ll help them with the transition as much as they want,” she said. “And Gigi’s as a franchise will help augment all the skills they already have to help them be successful in this business.”
The Firm Deal Review
Lending: Seller Promissory Note
Reason for Sale: Moving out of state
Franchisor Location: Tennessee
Offer to Closing Date: 52 days