A Little Crumbs on Ridgewood Ave.

Despite the apparent economic hardships Ridgewood is facing, new businesses still trickle in. Or at least a crumb or two do.

With 48 varieties of designer cupcakes, CRUMBS Bake Shop became part of the Ridgewood family Jan. 18 and is a vibrant, positive face on East Ridgewood Avenue.

"Cupcakes are our bread and butter," said Mary Katherine Radin, the assistant director of operations for CRUMBS. "We're an old-time cupcake place."

Nestled between The Village Tannery and Fratelli Trattoria, CRUMBS is located in the former P.S. I Love You clothing shop. Radin helped setup the Ridgewood branch and will be around over the initial weeks.

The cupcakes are presented in a variety of colors and sizes. From your standard vanilla sprinkled to the exotic red velvet to the themed Baba Booey/Artie Lange samples, CRUMBS is the perfect stop for a sweet-tooth fiend. Even television host Bonnie Hunt gave CRUMBS a shout out on her show earlier this month.

CRUMBS spotlights weekly and monthly cupcakes. For this week, it's Madison, while the Elvis is the cupcake of the month.

Not only a cupcake store, CRUMBS also offers an assortment of beverages: coffee, espresso, tea and homemade soda. It makes full-sized cakes and muffins, too.

The Ridgewood shop is CRUMBS 25th store and third in New Jersey—following Westfield and Hoboken. Originally founded in Manhattan's Upper West Side, CRUMBS is located throughout the metro-New York area and also in California. Radin said the company hopes to be in Washington, DC later this year.

"Ridgewood embodies everything we love about a small town," said Mia Bauer, CRUMBS co-founder. "The people are warm and welcoming and we cannot wait to bring our delectable treats to this lovely community."

Recently, several business owners and landlords have complained about Ridgewood's red tape in securing new stores.

When asked about CRUMBS experience with the village, Radin paused, smiled, and said, "We're happy to be here now. Every location has its ups and downs, and that's what makes it unique."

Thus far, she said parking hasn't been an issue, either.

Complete with tables, CRUMBS serves as another spot to sit and chat. Its Web site also allows Web orders and deliveries.