{"id":122681,"date":"2026-01-06T21:56:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T21:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/122681\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T21:56:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T21:56:07","slug":"sprinkles-cupcakes-closes-all-locations-after-20-years-in-l-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/122681\/","title":{"rendered":"Sprinkles Cupcakes Closes All Locations After 20 Years in L.A."},"content":{"rendered":"

L.A.\u2019s favorite cupcakery closes after two decades<\/p>\n

Sprinkles<\/a> Cupcakes has closed all of its locations with little notice to customers, fans and employees. The gourmet cupcake chain was founded just over two decades ago in Beverly Hills by Candace and Charles Nelson.<\/p>\n

The former investment bankers rode the wave of hand-held sweets until selling out to a private equity firm in 2012. \u201cEven though I sold the company over a decade ago, I still have such a personal connection to it, and this isn\u2019t how I thought the story would go,\u201d Ms. Nelson said in a social media post<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

The 00s cupcake craze seems to have kicked off in New York after Sarah Jessica Parker\u2019s character in Sex and the City was seen munching on pink-frosted cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. That New York institution expanded to a location in L.A.\u2019s Beverly Grove neighborhood in 2010.<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Sprinkles CupcakesCredit: Photo by spablab<\/p>\n

After opening their first store in Beverly Hills in 2005, Sprinkles soon became known for not only the quality of their cakes, but also their aesthetics and unique limited-time flavors like chai latte and candy corn. That first store was soon selling 1,000 cupcakes a day at $3.25 each. Soon, they were selling out of a mobile food truck and their famous Cupcake ATM, which was open 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n

Candace Nelson cited her French-born grandmother\u2019s recipes as an inspiration for opening Sprinkles. She met her husband when the two were bankers in San Francisco in the 1990s. The pair set up shop in Beverly Hills and sold out on their first day. Soon, celebrity fans like Oprah, Katie Holmes and Barbra Streisand were singing the praises of her sweet treats. \u201cNot only is (Streisand) an icon, but she has an amazing knowledge of baking,\u201d Nelson told the Los Angeles Times<\/a>. \u201cShe wanted to discuss specific baking points and recipes with me. I was thrilled.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"Sprinkles CupcakesCredit: Photo by David Berkowitz<\/p>\n

Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n

Nelson went on to appear as a guest judge on Food Network\u2019s Cupcake Wars and on ABC\u2019s Shark Tank. She wrote the book Sweet Success: A Simple Recipe to Turn Your Passion into Profit. In 2017, the couple opened Pizzana, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria that currently boasts eight locations and a spot in the Michelin guide.<\/p>\n

The founders sold Sprinkles to KarpReilly<\/a> in 2012. The Connecticut-based company also owns fast-growing chains Salt and Straw, HomeState and Pitfire Pizza. They also own moribund operations like Marie Callender\u2019s and Mimi\u2019s Caf\u00e9. Sprinkles appeared to be doing well. The 24-unit chain was poised to grow quickly after adopting a franchise model in 2023, with plans to reach 200 locations around the world. The business had reported<\/a> $44.5 million in sales in 2024, a 3% increase from the previous year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Sprinkles would keep growing and be around forever,\u201d Nelson said on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cI thought it was going to be my legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"An empty Sprinkles Cupcakes location, 2026Credit: Photo by Chris Nichols<\/p>\n