Hello Jackson: HaliHannigan's Cupcakery
This post was originally published on Hello Jackson on August 26, 2013.
HaliHannigan’s Cupcakery opened in November 2010 and has quickly become a Jackson staple. I still remember when it opened on Vann Drive, and I even remember the first cupcake I tried there. It was a Strawberry Pucker, and it was absolutely fantastic! Now they have even more flavors and a variety of bakery items sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
As is implied by the name, HaliHannigan’s Cupcakery serves an amazing variety of gourmet cupcakes, but they also serve an ever-changing selection of other bakery items. They offer everything from cannoli to chess squares and even a wonderfully delicious Mile-High Triple Sin Brownie that I wish I could eat a hundred of! The cupcake menu changes, but some of the most popular flavors are Wedding Cake and Turtle Cheesecake, both of which are ridiculously delicious. The cheesecake cupcake is probably the best kind of dessert mashup that has ever been created, and I highly recommend trying it!
The jumbo sized cupcakes are $3, and the other bakery items range from $1.50 to $4.75. When I’ve been in with coworkers, we like to get several different flavors and cut them in half, so we can try them all! HaliHannigan’s also offers ice cream and traditional Mexican paletas as well as custom created cakes for birthday parties, weddings, and other special occasions. I was also surprised to learn that they offer fresh baked breads and café salads like the Bacon Caesar and Strawberry Feta, which my mother couldn’t stop raving about. With this addition to the menu, you can have lunch and dessert in the same place!
HaliHannigan’s is a true family business owned by Neill and Christi Bartlett. Two of their three daughters work in the business, while their youngest daughter assists in radio commercials from time to time. The name HaliHannigan’s comes from a combination of the three girls’ names, Hali Danielle, Hannah, and Morgan. After working in the corporate world for over ten years, Christi decided to go back to her passion and natural gift and open Jackson’s first cupcakery. Her husband Neill has a strong media and photography background, so his work in building up the brand of HaliHannigan’s has made a tremendous difference.
One of the things I love most about HaliHannigan’s is their Donation Day program. On these days they donate a percentage of sales to a specific need in the community, which is a great way to give back! It is always encouraging to see businesses give back to the people who support them from day to day. One of the things I’ve loved about writing these Hello Jackson pieces is meeting the people behind the business. I was especially impressed with Neill’s hospitality and personable nature and (of course) Christi’s incredible baking skills. It says a lot about a business when some customers come all the way from Memphis just for a cupcake and some friendly conversation! I think the personal interactions with customers are a huge part of what has made HaliHalligan’s such a special place.
Kristi Woody is a photographer and storyteller for our Hello Jackson features about locally owned retail stores and restaurants. She also works as the university photographer for Union University and owns her own wedding photography business, Woody & Pearl Photography. In her free time, Kristi enjoys spending time with her husband and rambunctious beagle, Rhett and Chipper respectively. If you can't find Kristi in Jackson, you'll find her in her second favorite place: Disney World!
