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Business & Tech

Q & A with Capital City Cheesecake's Meaghan Murphy

Co-owner dishes on what's popular, what's unexpected and what's next for Takoma Park café.

 

Since 2010, Capital City Cheesecake has been serving varieties of cheesecake, pastries, sandwiches and beverages to Takoma Park, and has quickly become a local favorite. Patch sat down with co-owner Meaghan Murphy to find out what’s next for the café she co-owns with her sister, Caitlin.

Patch: Cakes were the “next big thing” for a while, and lately cupcakes have been generating buzz. Cheesecakes, however, seems to always enjoy the same popularity. Why?

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Meaghan Murphy: I think it’s because they are just a classic, gourmet dessert, but one that fits into a lot of categories and situations. People think of cupcakes for fun or casual settings, and find it tough to incorporate them into a large event. Cheesecake, though, especially slices, can fit into just about any event.

Patch: How did you select Takoma Park as the location to open Capital City Cheesecakes?

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M.M: We knew we wanted our business to be both family- and eco-friendly, and Takoma Park is both. Our family has lived about 10 minutes from Takoma Park for a long time, and that gives great nearby support. Also, we are able to do things like have our composting efforts out back of the store, and really focus on our carbon footprint.  

Patch: What are some of your most popular items?

M.M: In terms of cheesecake, salted caramel and key lime flavors continue to go back and forth as the most popular. Ice coffee has become very popular as well. We cold press the coffee, and brew it for 14 hours. As for sandwiches, definitely the ham, apple cheddar melt.

Patch: Tell us about your customers – do you have a lot of regulars or celebrity visitors?

M.M: There are some customers that have been with us since opening day. But when we put the latte machine in last May, we really noticed that our regulars were growing. With the die hards, we know what they want and start getting it ready as soon as they walk in. In terms of celebrities, we get a lot of media here – writers from the Washington Post, an on-air CNN personality and I always hear people talking about television productions they are working on.

Patch: What’s next for Capital City Cheesecakes?

M.M: We are going to add more variety to the menu – four or five new cheesecake varieties, new sandwiches (chicken, veggie burgers) cole slaw, even avocado. And, by the end of the year, we will have completed our re-branding campaign to become “Capital City Cheesecake & Café” so it’s obvious that we are more than just cheesecake. In fact, a lot of regulars have told us we need to do it.

Patch: What’s one thing customers wouldn’t expect to find at Capital City Cheesecakes?

M.M: Ooh, definitely my sister Caitlin’s scratch buttermilk waffles. We only serve them on Saturday and Sundays, but they have become very, very popular.

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