Sprinkles Cupcakes Closes All Locations After 20 Years

Sprinkles Cupcakes, the bakery chain renowned for its 24/7 cupcake ATMs, permanently closed all its locations on December 31, 2025. The abrupt shutdown affected stores across multiple states, including California, Texas, Florida, and Illinois.

Founder Candace Nelson, who sold the company to private equity firm KarpReilly in 2012, expressed her surprise at the closure. In a social media post, she stated, "Even though I sold the company over a decade ago, I still have such a personal connection to it, and this isn't how I thought the story would go."

Employees reported receiving little to no advance notice about the closures. Some staff members claimed they were informed with less than a day's warning, leading to an outpouring of frustration on social media platforms.

The company has not issued a formal statement regarding the shutdown. Attempts by news outlets to reach corporate spokespeople for comment were unsuccessful.

Sprinkles Cupcakes was founded in 2005 in Beverly Hills and quickly gained popularity for its gourmet cupcakes and innovative vending machines. The brand expanded to over 20 locations nationwide before its sudden closure.