Small Business Q&A: Flour Child Cakery

Dallas-Hiram Patch Editor Jon Gargis recently talked with Robin Hutcheson, the owner and manager of in Hiram.

Dallas-Hiram Patch: How long have you been open?

Robin Hutcheson: We opened Oct 29.

Dallas-Hiram Patch: How many employees do you have?

Hutcheson: Four—myself; my son Caleb, who went to Culinary Arts School for a while and is our baker; my daughter Aliya, who is an amazing cake artist; and Pete Hall, a wonderful Scottish friend who not only keeps us entertained but is a wonderful chef and decorator. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: What's the hardest thing about being a small-business owner in Hiram?

Hutcheson: The impact the economy has had on the area. Many people are operating on budgets and we understand that, so we have to keep our prices affordable. Obviously, we can't have a $400 minimum, like Ace of Cakes.

Dallas-Hiram Patch: What's the best thing about your job?

Hutcheson: I get to do what I love everyday and meet wonderful people and do things to make their events special, like first birthday cakes, wedding cakes, baby shower cakes, etc. I also love it that so many people come in day after day to get a treat. I get to know them and their families. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: What's the best thing about Hiram?

Hutcheson: It is a beautiful place with amazing people. Like the kids who come in every Tuesday to get a treat with their grandfather, or the little old lady who kisses me on the cheek for giving her directions and a piece of cheesecake, young mothers who come in to order birthday cakes, and men who stop by to get a brownie on their way home. Other business people have been so helpful to us, too. Our children went to school in Hiram; we shop at all of the local stores. I think Paulding County is one of the friendliest places in the world. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: Why did you choose to open up your business in Hiram? 

Hutcheson: We looked at a lot of places before deciding to open here. We have had such a wonderful response to opening in Paulding County. I can't imagine being anywhere else. While our hippie theme may be better suited for Little Five Points, Paulding County feels like home. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: Why did you pick this particular kind of business?

Hutcheson: We kind of came by it naturally. I baked at home for years and made cakes for people, Caleb was always interested in cooking and baking. He went to Culinary Arts School for a while; Aliya was always artistic and naturally fell into decorating the cakes we baked. Then when Caleb and Aliya were in college, we helped open another bakery. After working for them for over a year and a half we saw things we would like to do differently and decided to open our own bakery. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: What are some of the services you offer that people don't know about?

Hutcheson: I don't think people realize how specialized our cakes can be. Of course, we can make traditional, old-fashioned red velvet and carrot cakes, but we can also make a 4-foot-tall cake shaped like teacups and hats with hand-sculpted Alice in Wonderland characters. Sometimes people come in expecting to look through a book of pre-made designs like they would in a grocery store, when in fact, every cake is specially designed, baked and decorated. That is the difference between the cake decorators that many bakeries have, and the cake artists that we have, not to mention we can make almost any cake flavor. Also, we are not just a cakery—we have lots of cupcakes, pastries, baked goods, and even some lunch items like filled croissants and sandwiches. People are always welcome to come by and pick up some treats or even a bite for lunch. 

Dallas-Hiram Patch: Is there anything else you would like to share about your business?

Hutcheson: We've had a lot of people ask us about our theme, and why we chose it. To answer that, we have always been a very friendly family, and our house was always a gathering place for family, friends and almost anyone else who wanted to drop by. Due to our friendliness and fun-loving nature, people have told us for years that we are a family of hippies, so when we decided to open the bakery, we just ran with that idea. I thought up the name Flour Child, and everyone was immediately on board. It just felt natural. We enjoy the good music that came from the era, and the colorful, vibrant decor that makes it a very welcoming, happy place. Plus, we think it makes one of the coolest bakeries in Georgia, and definitely the coolest in Paulding County.

Flour Child Cakery and Bake Shop

6129 Ridge Road, Hiram

Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Closed Sundays and Mondays

404-936-9789

facebook.com/flourchildcakery

flourchildcakery@gmail.com