'The response was overwhelming': How an Instagram post saved a small Honolulu bakery

Halfway down quiet 12th Avenue in Honolulu’s Kaimuki neighborhood, a bright red sign sits on the sidewalk. In white are the words “Otto Cake,” with a yellow lightning bolt striking behind them. This sign marks a local cheesecake shop that’s known around town for its unique flavors, such as maple bacon, lehua honey blossom and saffron with a toasted pistachio crust. These handmade velvety desserts are the brainchildren of self-taught punk rocker and self-taught dessert maven Scott McDonough, otherwise known as Otto.McDonough has been baking in Honolulu for over 30 years. He’s seen his fair share of the ups and downs that come with owning a small business, but would never guess that a single Instagram post would nearly save his business when a global pandemic hit. Like other small businesses, Otto Cake has struggled to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. This past October, the Wall Street Journal reported that about 20% of small businesses that were operating in January 2020 are now no longer. Most days in March and April, when Honolulu was experiencing its first lockdown, an average of just 15 customers would frequent the store. Some days saw as few as three. Then there was…
Read More