The Eve Before the "Shady Cake Lady"

For the last few years (like four) I have heard about this amazing, fabulous, words-can’t-describe-it, cake lady who has been dubbed by several as the “Shady Cake Lady” here in Spartanburg.

Seriously?!?

I thought it was strange myself but apparently women from all over the Upstate call this woman even though her nickname contains the word “shady” for the grand celebratory events of birthdays, baby showers and of course, weddings.


So how does one earn the reputation for being “shady” and still earn a living? Funny you should ask because I did and nearly fell out of my seat in laughter when someone would tell me the story. It would go along the lines that this great lady (lets call her Mary for fun) worked for a large corporation that did not allow outside business transactions to go on inside the work place. Therefore brides (and sometimes unsuspecting grooms) would call her at work asking to make an appointment, get a cake sample, turn in a deposit, etc. and the answer was always the same.


“It’s in my trunk.”


She would then instruct you on where her car was located in the parking lot and you would then retrieve or leave said item. Someone once referred it to “the closest thing to making a drug deal” and hence the nickname was born. Why on earth would someone go to great lengths to get a wedding cake? Because apparently they are that good. So good in fact that it took me three weeks to get this lady’s number.


My favorite part is when I would talk about “Mary” to others in trying to find her number the response was, “I never did meet her until the day of the wedding” to “Oh - I so did that” which is my number one since it came from a former groom.


Now “Mary” and I have a meeting tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. to discuss cakes…at a laundry mat. So shady…