WRITER | MARY ROSE KULCZAK
Michigan-based business puts a “cherry” on top of the arts and crafts industry
It all began with a love of stickers.
Kristin Singer was a Michigan mother of five and avid scrapbooker looking for a way to turn her passion into a business.
“A Cherry On Top began as a little shoebox of stickers in our basement,” said daughter Rachel Kent. “It was the ‘90s, and our company was known as Stickers Galore back then. Our mom, Kristin, loved scrapbooking and wanted a creative outlet for herself. Over the years, the business grew, and we moved out of the house and into an actual storefront in Saginaw. With the expansion came a new name: A Cherry On Top Crafts. We wanted our customers to know we sold more than just stickers. We had art supplies, needle crafts, kids crafts, and so much more.”
Customers often ask us, “Why the cherries?”
“We love the idea of being the last little piece of a project – that final step to completing something beautiful, just like the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae!” Kent said.
The business quickly expanded from its Saginaw operations into a thriving online webstore that services customers around the world.
“You name it, we probably have it!” Kent enthused. “At acherryontop.com, we offer all kinds of crafty products, from scrapbooking and card making, to art supplies and needle crafts. Our storefront has a sampling of these products, along with our most popular and new items. We offer free local pickup, too, and customers really enjoy stopping in to browse when they arrive to pick up their orders.”
When Kristin Singer passed away, it left a big hole in both the family and the business. “In April 2018, after a long and courageous battle with cancer, we lost our mom and our hero,” Kent said. “It took us some time to get back on our feet with the business, but with lots of planning and meetings, a bit of restructuring, and some help from the online shopping boom during the pandemic, we recovered and now are thriving.”
Kent and her siblings stepped into new roles, working as a team to bring their youthful vitality to the growing business and craft industry. “Brandon, the oldest of us five, is the Director of Technology. He does all the website development and work on the backend,” Kent explained. “I am the second oldest, and, as Director of Marketing, handle all the marketing and design tasks and work on the website as well. Austin, Nathan, and Sarah have been involved in various capacities and are currently participating and offering input as board members.”
The team has been working hard to establish a strong online presence by embracing social media platforms to promote the company.
“Social media helps us connect to the craft community all over. We love to post things we’re creating and see what others are doing as well. We often get questions about the products used in our videos, and this helps our sales as well.”
The crafts industry has boomed in recent years as people spend more time at home. “The pandemic really revved things up; so many people are picking up crafty hobbies, even now, two years in. There is always something new and exciting coming in, and we have been noticing a lot of “cross-crafting” lately. Like stitching on scrapbook layouts and cards, painting on embroidery hoops, and mixed media in just about every area. We love that there are no rules with crafting and people are mixing and matching what they love.”
A Cherry On Top recently started collaborating with local businesses to offer classes and workshops.
“Michigan is a great place for a small business! We see so much support from our customers as well as fellow local businesses. This past summer, we partnered with the Grove Tea Lounge in Midland to do crafty classes there. We’re excited about this opportunity to hold classes, too!”
“The crafting industry matters because it brings people together – we can share experiences and connections through art no matter where we are. Crafting can support our mental health as well; it gives us space to express ourselves, to document and preserve special memories.”
