Romesha Deen, proprietor of the one Guyanese-owned Cinnabon and Carvel on this planet, poses inside her Hollis, Queens retailer.
Photograph by Tracey Khan
Within the coronary heart of Hollis, Queens, a candy milestone has quietly taken root in New York Metropolis’s melting pot of tradition and group satisfaction: the one Guyanese-owned Cinnabon and Carvel franchise on this planet.
Romesha Deen, a Guyanese American who immigrated to the U.S. on the age of three and has spent most of her life in New York, formally opened the doorways to her Cinnabon and Carvel storefront at 205-03 Hillside Ave. in Hollis almost two years in the past. What started as a neighborhood dessert store has since grown right into a vibrant hub of cultural satisfaction, entrepreneurial spirit, and group connection, providing extra than simply candy treats however a heat and welcoming area for all.
“I’m so proud to characterize Guyana on this method,” Deen mentioned throughout an emotional interview. “When my dad and mom first got here right here, nobody even knew the place Guyana was. Now, individuals come from Brooklyn, the Bronx — even Lengthy Island — simply to help us as a result of we’re Guyanese-owned. It means every part.”
Deen’s journey to enterprise possession wasn’t linear. A former advertising and finance skilled, she spent years working for main corporations like NBC Common earlier than realizing she needed extra management over her future.
“I needed to be my very own boss,” she mentioned. “Within the company world, another person is at all times reaping the advantages of your onerous work. This was about constructing one thing of my very own — not only for me, however for my kids.”
That mindset, Deen says, was instilled in her by her mom, Maureen — a single mum or dad who put herself by means of school whereas elevating a household. Deen, who’s married to Ken and shares two kids, Kyle and Kaitlyn, additionally credit her husband and youngsters for his or her unwavering help and the shared success of their enterprise.
“She’s the strongest girl I do know,” Deen mentioned by means of tears. “Every thing I’m, I owe to her.”
Now, Deen pours that very same power into her store, working seven days every week, typically from early morning baking shifts to late-night closings. Regardless of the grind, the group’s help retains her going.
The store could comply with the franchise mannequin, however Deen has infused it with unmistakable Caribbean aptitude.
Final yr, she launched a now-beloved function: Carvel cakes printed with Caribbean flags. It started throughout Labor Day Weekend, when she hung flags within the store to have a good time the West Indian Day Parade. The response was overwhelming and hasn’t stopped since.
“Folks are available in only for the truffles,” she mentioned. “We’ll make 10 Guyanese flag truffles they usually’re passed by Saturday morning.”
Different flags, reminiscent of these of Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, and Barbados, are simply as standard. Clients pose for photographs with their truffles, generally shopping for them simply to have a good time their heritage, even when there’s no celebration deliberate.
“It’s turn out to be a logo of satisfaction,” Deen mentioned. “And it makes me proud to present folks that pleasure.”
The Hollis Cinnabon/Carvel feels totally different out of your common franchise. The partitions are shiny, the area is heat, and households fill the seating space effectively previous sunset.
“We needed it to really feel like a household place — not simply someplace you rush out and in,” Deen mentioned. “Folks sit, snort, and eat ice cream collectively. Even within the winter.”
“That was such an enormous praise,” she mentioned. “We’ve labored so onerous to make this really feel particular.”
What’s Subsequent?
Deen says she isn’t targeted on enlargement simply but; her precedence is constant to develop the Hollis location and making it one of the best in Queens.
“The objective is to make this retailer the primary Carvel within the borough,” she mentioned. “That’s what I’m working towards — one scoop at a time.”
For Deen, each cake bought, each smile shared, and each flag proudly displayed is greater than a transaction. It’s a celebration of the place she got here from — and the place she’s going.
