Female-owned and operated confectionery concept Foodologie Baked Goods will transition from an online + in-store business to a full-blown Belmont Shore brick-and-mortar this summer.
Founder Maria Leyesa tells What Now Los Angeles that while she was hoping to be up and running in July, city-driven delays will see Foodolgie likely opening later in the season.
Situated just off of Long Beach’s bustling Second Street, Leyesa’s cutely monochromatic bake shop will initially offer cookie and brownie creations like The Chocolate Chip Cookie and Ube Brownie.
Pronounced “ooh-beh,” the purple yam is sweet and nutty, and originates from Leyesa’s native country, the Philipines.
Despite being a tuber, ube imbues desserts with a mild vanilla flavor and ample moisture while its vibrant color can entice even the most skeptical of guests.
Per the Long Beach Post, Leyesa also hopes to eventually include a rotating cookie of the month, a baked good of the week, and a strawberry and matcha brownie.
At age two, Leyesa immigrated with her family from the Philippines to Glendale before calling Rancho Cucamonga home. Then, in 2021, she and her husband Tony moved to Long Beach where they currently reside.
An occupational therapist for three years by the time the pandemic struck, Leyesa took to baking during the lockdown, unsure, like many of us, if things would ever return to normal.
When the reception to her sweet treats was greater than expected, Leyesa battled through imposter syndrome to turn her pastime into a profession. After doing the whole pop-up, test kitchen, and online ordering thing, Leyesa discovered she’d outgrown her own business model. Enter her 100-percent self-funded storefront.
Since snagging a space in The Shore, Leyesa has hired three women to help her harness and maintain Foodologie’s growing presence. Hungry customers who can’t wait for Leyesa’s doors to open can still find her baked goods at 25+ shops including Boba Guys, The Meat Company, Wrigley’s Coffee, and Bixby Joe’s, but a complete list can be found here.
