Get to Know Gwendolyn Rogers, Creator of The Cake Bake Shop Coming Soon to Disney’s BoardWalk
As part of the Disney Parks Blog’s ongoing “reimagine tomorrow” series celebrating Women’s History Month, they’ve dug into the life of Gwendolyn Rogers, the visionary behind The Cake Bake Shop, coming soon to Disney’s BoardWalk.
What’s Happening:
- Gwendolyn Rogers is the president and owner of The Cake Bake Shop, a whimsical table service restaurant and bakery expected to open at Disney’s BoardWalk at Walt Disney World in 2023.
- Her love for baking began when she was six years old growing up in Sun Valley, Idaho.
- Gwendolyn married her husband in 1995 and they had three boys. Cooking and baking for her family and friends has always brought joy to her life and to those around her.
- “Being a mother is the number-one job of my life, and I don’t think anything ever comes close to that,” she said. “I bake because it makes my family happy. I love having my kitchen smell good. It’s very therapeutic for me to be in the kitchen – it’s my stress release and my happy place.”
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- Following her family’s move from Idaho to Indianapolis, Indiana, Gwendolyn began baking her delicious cakes, pies, and desserts out of her own home. “Some of the best advice I have ever been given is to really take the time on your idea – work at it and see if people like what you’re doing.”
- When she finally outgrew her kitchen and decided to open a retail shop, The Cake Bake Shop was born. Transforming a fixer-upper house in Indianapolis, Gwendolyn brought items from her own home to decorate her first shop with love. A long-time lover of department store display windows, Gwendolyn used this inspiration to create a magical and welcoming feeling for her guests, which included decorations like twinkling trees and her sons’ teddy bears. “I brought all of my own Christmas decorations from my home – and I didn’t have a lot – but what I did have I brought to my store.”
- Soon thereafter, Gwendolyn’s Cake Bake Shop took off in popularity among guests and quickly became a favorite place to celebrate special occasions. She then opened a second location in Carmel, Indiana. “To think that now I get to bring this fun and happiness to Walt Disney World Resort – it’s such an unbelievable honor. I’ve been a Disney fan my whole life.”
