"Johnny Cupcakes" Founder Surprises Steve Harvey With Special Gift

Dianna Carney

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(MASSACHUSETTS) Johnny Cupcakes is a creative clothing brand that was founded in 2001 on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Founder Johnny Earle started the business out of the trunk of his car during his breaks while working at the local mall. The brand, which became famous for its bakery-themed t-shirts and cupcake-themed merchandise, has become so popular that the company now prides itself in over 2,000 fans having the Johnny Cupcakes logo tattooed on their body!

The World's First T-Shirt Bakery

Visitors to Johnny Cupcake's flagship location enter a "frosting-scented retail store through a giant vintage oven," immersing themselves in the experience. When customers make a purchase, their t-shirt is even served to them out of a smoking vintage oven! This clever concept earned the Newbury Street location the title of "The World's First T-shirt Bakery."

Why Did Johnny Choose Cupcakes?

Johnny Earle explains that "a food-themed clothing brand was weird to many people, but weird is good! It gets people talking. I started making more Johnny Cupcakes t-shirts that poked fun at pop culture, replacing known references with cupcakes."

How Did He Meet Steve Harvey?

Just before the pandemic, Johnny Earle was invited to appear on the Steve Harvey Show and to keynote a conference hosted by Steve Harvey. Earle was asked to "talk about my bakery-themed T-shirt brand, Johnny Cupcakes, which encompasses entrepreneurship, customer loyalty, creating unique experiences, and finding a way," he explained.

After arriving early to set, Earle explains that the staff of the Steve Harvey Show "caked makeup on my werewolf of a face!" He also revealed that he kept himself and those around him entertained until his call time by performing magic tricks.

The Johnny Cupcakes team surprised Steve Harvey with a special edition T-shirt, with 100% of the profits going to Steve Harvey's charity.

"The cherry on top was when an old friend from France reached out to me after seeing on my Instagram that I was on the show and he was working on a set for a TV show in the same Universal lot. He picked me up in a golf cart and brought me to see various movie sets including the Back To The Future movie set. I felt like a kid again!" - Johnny Cupcakes

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