Johnny Cupcakes

Recently Johnny Cupcakes was in Downtown Phoenix selling his limited edition wares at Red Hot Robot as part of his "Back to Basics Suitcase Tour 2010." Seeing as how I, Rikki Cupcake, am obsessed with baking cupcakes, eating cupcakes, drawing cupcakes, and as of late having them tattooed on my body, I thought it only fitting that I meet the man behind the brand. Timmy, my pal Ryan and I drove to Phoenix all full of butterflies to hear his "punk to entrepreneur" lecture and get our hands on some of his limited edition tees. We got there promptly at eight to realize we were to be the last in line. The line already snaked around the parking lot and as we overheard later, people had been waiting there since 10 the night before! Crazy! As we stood in line discussing our day and our weekend plans, the crowd in front of us started cheering. The crew from Johnny cupcakes was setting up and started to film the crowd. Everyone from the beginning of the line began doing the wave and just like the flu it spread from one person to the next until the entire crowd had thrown their hands into the air in participation. I was giddy, like a little kid. Half of an hour rolled by and the line started to move, they were letting people in to buy shirts, but what I didn't realize was that this was only a meet and greet, no lecture. We were essentially waiting in line to buy a shirt, then wait in another line to have our photos taken, grab and autograph and shoot the breeze with JC himself. I wanted badly to meet him, shake his hand, tell him he is an inspiration to all small business owners out there, but the waiting, oh the waiting. I cannot lie, it got to me. It stared out slowly with the shifting from one foot to the next, the lapse in conversation, the blank staring at people I do not know, and then...the yawns. I COULDN'T TAKE IT! When I finally got inside, I purchased my shirt, glanced over to the line waiting for their moment of personal conversing and I sighed and walked on to the car. It was almost midnight and I wanted to go home. I love my shirt (though a bit pricey) I still love Johnny and I adore Red Hot Robot but all in all I was hoping for something different. I wanted to leave with a smile on my face instead of wiping sleep from my eyes. I wanted to be filled with adrenaline and be able to share my excitement with everyone, but instead all I got was a t-shirt. Sigh...




the beginning


2 1/2 hours in


the Johnny box


me




Wu Shirt