Courtesy of Nothing Bundt Cakes
By Rod Bacon
When Matt and Melissa Gleason opened their first Nothing Bundt Cakes shop in Albany in 2017 they already had their sights set on Saratoga County. When the Albany shop became successful they implemented their plan by opening a second location in Clifton Park in 2021, but they didn’t stop there. Following a multi-year search they launched their third shop in April in Saratoga Springs.
“We had been working on Saratoga for several years trying to find the perfect spot,” said Matt. “We’re very happy to have landed where we did. It’s right off Exit 15 with lots of traffic.”
The shop offers more then 60 unique cake designs, all topped with their signature cream cheese frosting. They can be customized for special occasions like birthday parties, graduations, anniversaries, weddings, baby showers, teacher appreciation days, and sporting events. Also available is an extensive selection of party supplies like candles, cake toppers, plates and napkins, and decorations, as well as gifts for those being honored by the occasion.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is a franchise operation with more than 600 franchisees running shops throughout the United States and Canada. The Gleasons became interested in it when Matt’s family, who live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, sent them a cake one holiday. His mother, who is “a little entrepreneurial,” suggested they consider it as a potential opportunity.
“It’s just the joy that comes out of this kind of franchise,” said Matt. “The cake is fantastic, the best cake we’d ever had. And the idea that we could bring that kind of joy to the local community is what attracted us to it. It’s a lot of fun to go to work and give people cake that makes them happy.”
The most popular flavors are chocolate chocolate chip, white chocolate raspberry, lemon, and red velvet. However, the Gleasons get creative by offering seasonal flavors like peppermint chocolate chip for Christmas or pumpkin spice in the fall.
Prior to purchasing the franchise, Melissa was an IT specialist. Matt was in the U.S. Navy before spending 21 years in the data center real estate industry.
Other than baking the occasional birthday cake, neither had any pastry experience. Melissa spent four weeks in Dallas at the franchise’s training facility learning the full bakery operation from baking cakes to frosting to staffing and how to greet guests. For the first eight years she operated the couple’s two shops while Matt continued in his career. With the opening of the Saratoga shop he joined the business full time.
Success is not going to have them resting on their laurels, however. They are working on opening their fourth shop in North Greenbush and have an agreement in place with the franchise to open three more in the Syracuse area. Further down the road they might explore the Glens Falls market.
Nothing Bundt Cakes is located at 6 Lowes Drive in Saratoga Springs.
To learn more about the delectable treats that await you, go to nothingbundtcakes.com. To find the three shops currently owned by the Gleasons scroll down to Find a Bakery.