Crowdfunding Could Bring New Bakery to Elmhurst

Photos courtesy of Amanda Innes-Shareef.

Crowdfunding a dream can be risky, but two bakers have put the future of their business, Tart Patisserie, in the hands of online sponsors.

Amanda Innes-Shareef and Candice Albergo started a Kickstarter page to fund their potential new Elmhurst bakery. They have until Oct. 4 to raise $10,000, or they won’t see any of the money contributed by supporters.

But they’re cautiously optimistic.

“We’re on track to meet our goal, but we knew in putting that out there that it would be difficult,” said Innes-Shareef, a Woodridge resident. “We hope to gain momentum and have a lot of backers and support from people in the community who want to see something like this in Elmhurst or a neighboring community.”

As of Sunday night, they’d raised more than $4,400 from 34 backers, and they have 12 days left to fundraise.

Tart Patisserie already exists as an online business, promoting sweet treats through social media and a website. Innes-Shareef and Albergo bake from a home kitchen, filling about two or three orders a week and doing about one larger order or event each month.

The bakers make all the classic staples and follow the trends, but they also invent original creations, like the “psycho tart,” which is a combination cookie crust and a cheesecake-filled tart. They make cakes and cupcakes, but also small mousse desserts, ganache, entremets and homemade cereal bars and protein bars.

“We’re not just cupcakes, which is probably our biggest seller,” Innes-Shareef said. “We want to be a true patisserie.”

The two paired up after attending culinary school. They both wanted to open a bakery and go into business together. They started looking for a location, and the economy crashed.

Innes-Shareef and Albergo put the business on hold for nine years and followed their own career paths. Innes-Shareef works in the insurance industry, and she’s confident her business skills will carry over to the bakery.

Albergo, of Wheeling, IL, is involved in massage therapy, yoga and fitness competitions, but baking will become her full time job once the shop is open.

“We’re not blinded by fact that we have a great product,” Innes-Shareef said. “We do have grandiose dreams, but we’re starting on a smaller scale. Hopefully we can scale up to our big dreams in a five-year time.”

The women said their free-spirits are reflected in Tart Patisserie’s tagline: “Upscale, but not uptight.” They take the business, the ingredients and the products seriously, but they have fun putting it all together.

Innes-Shareef said running their bakery is all about customer service, seeing people smile and making them happy.

Albergo agreed that the greatest reward is a satisfied customer.

“The best is watching people smile when they eat a pastry or a cupcake,” Albergo said. “It’s great knowing you made that, and you made them smile.”

Innes-Shareef said it certainly won’t be the end of the dream if the Kickstarter goal isn’t met. They won’t stop baking, they won’t give up, they will continue saving money, and eventually Tart Patisserie will have a storefront.

To learn more about Tart Patisserie, visit its website and its Kickstarter page.

Candice Albergo (left) and Amanda Innes-Shareef (right)