Photo | Brad Kane
Renee Diaz, in her The Queen's Cups bakery in Worcester's Canal District
July 5, 2022
Bakery owner embraces the small in small business
Photo | Ashleigh Olson
Renee Diaz, owner of The Queen's Cups, with her daughter, Roslyn Ana Diaz
By Ellie Lester
After 10 years running her local bakery, The Queen’s Cups, Renee Diaz is ready to embrace consistency and has locked in at least another half decade in the Canal District.
The Queen’s Cups produces sweets from scratch, located at 56 Water St. in Worcester. In December, Diaz signed another five-year lease for her shop. She plans on keeping the bakery small, giving her time and space to live in the moment and perhaps pursue her interest in real estate.
Throughout the past year in particular, Diaz has navigated pandemic-based adjustments, staffing changes, and motherhood. Now, she is focused on spending what she sells and selling what she spends.
“My goal is to really be strict with the money that we spend without jeopardizing the quality of our products,” Diaz said.
Even though the pandemic inflated supply prices, Diaz was determined to buy the same supplies as always and prioritize the integrity of her goods.
In response to COVID-19 restrictions, The Queen’s Cups trimmed its dining area and implemented online ordering. Diaz found customers were attracted to the option of curbside pickup, allowing the bakery to maintain a steady flow of sales.
“Business is kind of like a roller coaster where you have really high highs and really low lows, but I kind of like that middle ground where you're like, ‘Okay, I know what to expect,’” Diaz said.
In May, Diaz said goodbye to three of her staff members. Though she was sad to see the three women move on, she has since been able to find new talent and maintain contact with her former employees.
After returning in May from a three-month leave to care for her newborn daughter, Diaz says she is resolved to enjoy the everyday interactions and opportunities for creativity that The Queen’s Cups fosters.
“I hope that [my daughter] grows up and sees me working and some of the sacrifices I have to make,” Diaz said.
Though Diaz was sad to leave her daughter at home, the support from her close-knit staff, she said, helped her along the way. So too did experiencing new motherhood alongside one of her employees who had her baby around the same time as Diaz.
“I used to always have these crazy sales goals,” Diaz said. “Having my daughter made me realize that life changes, and now I just take it one day at a time.”
After almost a decade in business, she is ready to enjoy simple moments at The Queen’s Cups and forget the small stressors.
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