Image: Dia Doce Cupcakes by Samantha Tierney
The savory scent of natural ingredients and a devoted chef in action: a constant presence in young Thais da Silva Viggue’s family kitchen. Her grandmother’s recipe cards, passed down for generations, have now made their way to Thais, who would spend every day adjusting and tweaking the recipes to make them just right, a trait that would one day lead her to be a successful young entrepreneur.
Just outside of Philadelphia, da Silva Viggue’s bakery, Dia Doce Cupcakes, stands out as a welcoming locally-owned spot. Inspired by her childhood spent baking with her mother, her shop expresses her commitment to the natural ingredients she grew up using. Her story, from baking in her family kitchen to winning “Cupcake Wars” in 2012 to her successful storefront in West Chester, PA, has not been easy, but her dedication and love for taking risks has certainly paid off.
At the start of her career, a mere accident happened: “My dad, who works at a fancy salon in New York City, used to bring my cupcakes in for his clients, one of them happening to be a producer on Food Network who was blown away and encouraged me to apply to be a contestant on this new show called ‘Cupcake Wars,’” da Silva Viggue said.
After competing in and winning the competition, da Silva Viggue decided that she was not done with baking and wanted to expand her career even further.
“We decided to open a food truck and drive it around locally, and, by far, every time we’ve had the best turnout driving in and around West Chester.” After walking around the borough of West Chester, da Silva Viggue eventually found a spot on the corner of South High Street to open up her bakery, Dia Doce Cupcakes, where she sells cupcakes that change flavors weekly, as well as a little coffee shop.
“We blew up over the COVID lockdown when everyone was stuck at home with nothing to do, so we responded by doing free deliveries in the Chester County area. Eventually, we opened a window where people could place their orders from right outside,” da Silva Viggue said.
Since then, Dia Doce has only grown, and is now a well-respected bakery in the West Chester community. One customer said, “I stop by every week for my cupcake and they are always so kind as to strike up a conversation with me and offer a treat to my dog,” he said. Another customer mentioned, “My favorite flavor of theirs is undoubtedly red velvet, but they are all irresistible and it would simply be unfair to choose just one flavor.”
Also popular among college students attending the nearby West Chester University, one student customer said, “It is so calm and peaceful, I love getting my morning coffee here before the chaos of the day ensues…” Another student customer said, “This is the type of bakery you bring your friends and family to when they visit because you just have to stop there and experience it for yourself. It is a staple of West Chester.”.
Both Yelp and Tripadvisor have named Dia Doce Cupcakes as the top spot for cupcakes in West Chester. Dia Doce has also rightfully earned the number-one spot on Philly HotList and the best of the Main Line. The list keeps expanding as Dia Doce Cupcakes continues to bring the community of West Chester together. da Silva Viggue explained that taking risks supported her success. Baking in her family’s kitchen fueled her journey to become the young entrepreneurial woman she is today.
Samantha Tierney is a second year Media and Culture major with a minor in Digital Marketing.