No Muffin Left Behind Sale Supports Stewart's Caring Place

AKRON, OHIO — The Spring “No Muffin Left Behind” Sale held on Saturday, April 19th was another huge success.   We had a beautiful day, an excited contest winner and best of all, Cub Scouts.

We got a chance to meet Corina G. of Akron, the winner who named the formerly “Sad Muffin” Morose Moe, and won 57 pounds of free goodies in the process.

We met the very prepared boys of Cub Scout Pack 3161 of Cuyahoga Falls who were a great addition to our semi-annual event. 

We sold TONS, literally TONS, of frozen bakery products and we were able to make a substantial donation to Stewart’s Caring Place.

Thanks to all of you who attended or volunteered.  We had our most successful Spring sale ever and I hope all of you had a good time and found what you were looking for.  Keep an eye out for information on our next sale.  Remember to sign up for our mailing list so you aren’t left out.

It just wouldn’t be the same without all of you.

Sweet regards,

Jon Yerrick

Muffin Adoption Specialist

Main Street Gourmet Has Soup Cook-Off to Raise Money for Battered Women's Shelter of Akron

AKRON, OHIO — Main Street Gourmet held a soup cook-off during lunchtime Thursday, December 6th to raise money for the Battered Women's Shelter of Akron.  The event was open to all Main Street Gourmet employees and 15 different soups were entered in the contest.  All-you-can-eat soup lunches were available for $3 with all proceeds going directly to the charity.  Nearly everyone in the building participated and the winning soups were selected by secret ballot from the employees.

First place went to the team of Che Vang, Yeng Vang and Andrzej Starczewski.  Second place was awarded to Rich Woods and third place went to Katie Martin. 

Back Row:  Che Vang, Rich Woods & Katie Martin

Front Row:  Andrzej Starczewski and Yeng Vang

Numerous Records Set at Most Recent No Muffin Left Behind Sale

AKRON, OHIO — As the word gets out, Main Street Gourmet’s No Muffin Left Behind Outlet Sales continue to grow.  The most recent sale held November 10 set new high marks in attendance, total sales, and charitable donation amount. 

Lines began to form at 6:30am, two and a half hours before the doors opened and were still out the door when the sale ended at 1pm.  The direct beneficiaries of the record setting day were the Humane Society of Greater Akron and the International Institute of Akron, Incorporated.  Both organizations were present at the sale and received a portion of the proceeds from the event. 

The Humane Society of Greater Akron is focused on rescuing, rehabilitating and finding homes for animals that are victims of cruelty, abandonment, injury and illness in Summit County.  Please visit their website at www.summithumane.org for more information.  Volunteers and adoptable dogs were present the day of the sale and people interested in adoption should follow up with an adoption counselor at the humane society.

The International Institute of Akron, Incorporated contributes to the well being of our community by creating and implementing programs and services to assist the foreign born to integrate into our society, to promote public awareness of the value of ethnic diversity and to encourage international communication.  More information can be found on their website at www.iiakron.org. 

Also on hand was Sheila O. of Akron, the winner of the No Muffin Left Behind Email referral contest.  Sheila and her friends quickly filled up their carts with frozen goodies and were treated to the first 100 pounds of product at no charge.

Pictured:  Jon Yerrick, Muffin Adoption Specialist, with contest winner Shelia O and her friends and family.

AKRON, OHIO - The numbers are in and 2007 was another very successful year for the Akron General Muffins for Mammograms program.  Held the week of October 8th, the total funds raised this year were over $14,500.  This total is sure to grow after the funds raised at the upcoming annual WQMX fundraiser auction are added in.  Over $140,000 have been raised since the program began.

Muffins for Mammograms provides hundreds of free mammograms each year for uninsured women in the greater Akron area. The program is funded in part by a weeklong effort that includes the sale of muffins, brownies and cookies, along with the distribution of breast health information to individuals, physicians’ offices, schools and employees from local companies. 

Main Street Gourmet donates the baked goods and local radio station WQMX hosts an annual fundraiser to generate additional funds to pay for program mammograms. Main Street Gourmet employees help to package and deliver the baked goods along with employees from Akron General Medical Center.

Held in early October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), proceeds from the sale of baked goods are maintained in the Akron General Development Foundation for women who have no other way to pay for a screening mammogram.  Due to the success of the Muffins for Mammograms program, area women have greater access to health tools that can aid in early detection and treatment of breast cancer. 

Main Street Gourmet Hires New Northeast Ohio Sales Associate

AKRON, OHIO — Main Street Gourmet is pleased to announce that Jennifer Daniels has been hired to fill the position of Sales Associate serving the Northeast Ohio market. 

In this position, she will be responsible for the maintenance and growth of foodservice sales in that market and will also assist with trade shows.  

Jennifer is lifelong resident of the greater Akron area and has previous experience in the sales and customer service industries.

Main Street Gourmet's 20th Anniversary Muffin Day Celebration Recap

AKRON, OHIO – Twenty years ago on July 17, 1987, Main Street Gourmet first opened its doors as a retail store in downtown Akron.  Two decades later it held Muffin Day as a celebration to give thanks for all of the wonderful support from the local community. 

Muffin Day was held on July 17, 2007 at Lock 3 from 11 AM to 2 PM at the same location as Main Street Gourmet’s first store.  Event sponsors included 98.1 FM WKDD, The Akron Beacon Journal, Downtown Akron Partnership, Greater Akron Chamber, The University of Akron, and the City of Akron, with proceeds benefiting the United Way of Summit County.

Here is a short summary of some of the events that were held:

Eating Contest

The Muffin Eating Contest had ten teams competing to see which team could down the most blueberry muffins in 6 minutes.  Local legend Coondog O’Karma from the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters acted as MC for the event.   Megan Sutton, Joe Cavaretta and Jason Humphrey of the Red Cross team took first place.  Casey Estrada, Shane Shead and Corey Woods from the University of Akron came in second, less than a muffin cap away.  Coondog put down the microphone long enough to team up with Main Street Gourmet’s own Harvey Nelson.  Together they displayed both ends of the spectrum as far as eating styles go, with Coondog chowing down and Harvey casually sampling.  Main Street Gourmet employees Che Vang, Banya Mehm and Yeng Vang also joined in just for the challenge. 

Muffin Day Blueberry Muffin Tag-Team

Eating Contest in Progress

Main Street Gourmet Co-CEO Harvey Nelson (left)

with Competitive Eater Dave “Coondog” O’Karma

Red Cross Team that won the eating contest

with Competitive Eater Dave “Coondog” O’Karma

Scavenger Hunt

4-person Photo Scavenger Hunt teams were provided a list Akron-themed items to be photographed for points. Team photos were put on display and carefully judged for content and creativity.  The results were announced at Muffin Day and the winning team was MTV… Muffin TV from Sagerock.com.  Each member of the winning team received a Muffin Day t-shirt, McDonald Gift Certificates, Trophies and a One Year Supply of Main Street Gourmet Muffin Batter or Cookie Dough.

Main Street Gourmet Co-CEOs Harvey Nelson

& Steve Marks with Photo Scavenger Hunt team

MTV… Muffin TV from Sagerock.com.

Most Creative Muffin Contest

Main Street Gourmet received unique and interesting muffin recipes for our Creative Muffin Contest. The grand prize winner, Kathy Mollica, will receive a monthly sample of Main Street Gourmet products for one year.  Kathy, a Cuyahoga Falls resident, created the Super Chocolate Funky Monkey Muffin out of her desire to have great tasting muffins that also comply with the South Beach Diet.  Kathy is a South Beach Diet success story having lost 140 pounds and stating, “This is something dieters can enjoy and it tastes Fantastic!”

Main Street Gourmet’s Danielle DeAngelis

congratulates Most Creative Muffin Contest

Winner Kathy Mollica.

Entertainment

All throughout Lock 3 families, local business partners and members of the surrounding communities found plenty of ways to help support the United Way and participate in Muffin Day.

On the culinary side, Smith Dairy helped cool visitors with free samples of Ruggles ice cream and Caribou Coffee gave free samples of gourmet iced teas and coffees. Main Street Gourmet was surprised to find they sold out of the more than five hundred muffins, cookies and brownies they donated as part of the fundraising efforts. Each of the food vendors donated a portion of their day's proceeds as well.

The children's groups, activities and big smiles were another measure of the day's success. Free balloon animals, face painting, carnival games and crafts were further examples of how generous area businesses are when supporting the United Way.

It's not every day that you can pelt your boss with giant blueberries, but that is exactly what happened when Main Street Gourmet employees took to the stage on Tuesday. Marks and Nelson were joined by a baker's dozen worth of employees who took poetic license with the story of how the company came and set it to music. The performance was a team building experience few will ever forget, but if they do the mere mention of Muffin Fairies should help it all come flooding back.

Another Main Street Gourmet employee was brave enough to take to the stage, though she did so without the assistance of fairy wings. Stephanie Ice earned more than a few votes for her next bid at the American Idol title when she performed a version of Shedaisy's Still Holding Out for You. This Main Street Gourmet employee has been to two American Idol auditions and plans to travel to a third.

The yellow t-shirts of Muffin Day volunteers

dot the crowd of eating contest spectators

during Main Street Gourmet's twenty year anniversary

celebration held at Lock 3 on July 17, 2007.

Members of the Boys and Girls Clubs

Step Team give an energetic performance

on the Lock 3 during Main Street Gourmet's

Muffin Day celebration July 17, 2007.

Main Street Gourmet co-founders

and co-owners Steve Marks (rhs)

and Harvey Nelson (lhs) with Akron Mayor

Donald L. Plusquellic (center) as they present

him with a plaque commemorating the

company's twenty year anniversary.

Co-owner Steve Marks looks on as

Main Street Gourmet Muffin Fairies steal

the show during a company employee performance.

The employees, from left to right, included Beverly

Stopera, Lorelle Nevelle, Chad Robenstine, Dean

Drexler, Marks, and Art Ramirez.

Main Street Gourmet employee and

American Idol contestant Stephanie Ice

performs Shedaisy's Still Holding Out for You

at Muffin Day 2007. Ice has been to two auditions

and intends to attend a third for the hit television show.

An acoustic two drum duo from the

University of Akron's Steel Drum band brought

Muffin Day 2007 to a close with a variety of island music

including calypso, soca, reggae, bossa nova, and samba.

Mathew Dudack, pictured left, helps coordinate the groups

appearances, which can range from a small parties

featuring a duo to larger events featuring the full

twenty-five piece ensemble.

Harvey Nelson, Main Street Gourmet Co-CEO, Receives Award From the University Of Akron

AKRON, OHIO – University of Akron alumnus Harvey Nelson, co-CEO of Main Street Gourmet, has received the Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  The award is given to the University of Akron graduate who has made the biggest impact on the University's entrepreneurship program in the past year. 

Main Street Gourmet's “No Muffin Left Behind” Sale to Support Local Soldier Wounded in Iraq is Big Success

AKRON, OHIO — Adam Poppenhouse, a 21-year-old Cuyahoga Falls soldier wounded in a roadside bombing in Iraq on Dec. 3, was the beneficiary of Main Street Gourmet’s recent Spring No Muffin Left Behind Outlet Sale. 

The semi-annual one day only outlet sale was held at Main Street Gourmet’s Ascot Industrial Park headquarters and production facility on Saturday, April 28th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. 

Overstock, discontinued, and imperfect products were sold for $1 per pound to the public. 

Adam, who became a father while in Iraq, lost his right leg above the knee in an explosion and doctors are working to save his left leg below the knee.  Adam’s mother, Kim Poppenhouse, is the Production Training Coordinator for Main Street Gourmet.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale have been donated to the Adam P. Poppenhouse Benevolent Fund at First Merit Bank.

To sign up for our No Muffin Left Behind e-Newsletter that contains information regarding upcoming sales as well as special offers visit our No Muffin Left Behind page.

Pictured:  Adam Poppenhouse with his wife Amanda, daughter Rylee and mom Kim as well as Main Street Gourmet Co-CEO's Steve Marks and Harvey Nelson.

Pasta Sauce Competition Held to Raise Money for United Way

AKRON, OHIO – Main Street Gourmet held a pasta sauce competition during lunch on Monday, April 23rd as well as during the midnight shift to raise funds for the donation that will be made during Muffin Day this July.  A variety of pasta sauce recipes were entered in the contest by the employees and winners were chosen by popular vote.  Money was raised for United Way as employees paid to have unlimited pasta and sauces for lunch.  Over $500 was raised.

The winners of the two divisions are shown below.

Pictured Above: Rich Woods (2nd Place), Mackenzie Gardner (3rd Place) & Kim Jeffery (1st Place)

Pictured Above:  Tommie Smith, Sandy Baker, Tracy Pennington and Jim Fishel (3rd Place), James Massie (2nd Place), and Dave Martin (1st Place)

Chili Cook-Off Held to Raise Money for Harvest for Hunger

AKRON, OHIO – Main Street Gourmet held a chili cook-off during lunch on March 20th as well as during the midnight shift to support Harvest for Hunger.  A variety of chili recipes were entered in the contest by the employees and a brave panel of judges were given the "task" of sampling them all and choosing the winners.  The judges were also given Tums.  Money was raised for Harvest for Hunger as employees were asked to make a donation in exchange for a bottomless bowl of chili for lunch.

The winners of the two divisions are shown below.

Pictured Above:  Art Ramirez (2nd Place), Sue Natoli (3rd Place) & Rich Woods (1st Place)

Pictured Above:  Tommie Smith (1st Place), Tracy Pennington (2nd Place) & Dave Martin (3rd Place)