HISTORY

1988	Extraordinary Desserts opens at 2929 5th Avenue (in Hillcrest/Balboa park area) with only 10 seats.
	One of the original 5 coffee houses serving espresso drinks in San Diego county.
	One of only several establishments in the country to carry world renown French tea purveyor Mariage Freres (see Extraordinary Desserts Info Sheet).
	Awarded "Best Desserts" by San Diego Magazine and San Diego Home and Garden. These awards continue to bless our efforts annually.
1992	Extraordinary Desserts grows to 65 seats. With expansion, a continuous trend of lines out the door occur every Friday and Saturday night.
1995	The business grows to 110 seats and maintains its infamous line out the door.
1996	Extraordinary Desserts becomes acknowledged in home and decor publications for its unique variety of giftware.
1997	Extraordinary Desserts goes national with features in magazines such as Victoria, Food Arts, and the front cover of Bon Appetit.
1998	The tea menu grows to the largest loose-leaf menu in the United States with an inventory of over 9 varieties from Mariage Freres. We are Southem California's number one retailer for Japanese cast iron tea pots.
2000	Extraordinary Gourmet brand is launched. This private label line includes jams, honeys, chutneys, and syrups. This line is launched along side Extraordinary Home and a new corporate brand logo (lotus flower).
	The esteemed pastry school in Paris, Bellouet Conseil, recognized Karen for completing the most courses taken by any pastry chef at the time.
2002	Participating Chef at the James Bread House in NYC.
	Extraordinary Gourmet launches its tea line with 16 varieties of mostly organic teas.
2003	Planning, ground-breaking and construction of the second Extraordinary Desserts location. A 7,000sq/ft. (vs. 1800sq/ft. of original location) building that will seat 175 people.
	Karen Krasne is named one of the top 10 pastry chef's in the USA by Forbes Magazine.
2004	July 31, 2004, Little Italy location opens at 1430 Union Street. Maureen Clancy of the San Diego Union Tribune dubbed it, "the Bulgari of coffee houses."
	The menu expands to include savory foods and bites as well as beer, wine and champagne.
	The tea line grows to 30 varieties (with 30% available in organic) from plantations throughout the world.
2005	Extraordinary Desserts assists in the Relief Efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims.
2006	Extraordinary Desserts hosts the first San Diego Design Collective featuring local design talent and benefitting the San Diego Surfrider Foundation.
	Recipient of "Best Desserts" San Diego Magazine, making it the 15th consecutive year.
	Recipient of "Most Decadent Desserts-Readers Choice" San Diego Home and Garden, making it the 10th consecutive year.
2007	Extraordinary Desserts launches its newly designed corporate website, featuring new desserts imagery and an array of new exciting products.
2008	Extraordinary Desserts celebrates its 20 year anniversary with the introduction of a new line of signature chocolate bars based on the bakery’s most popular cakes.
2009	New vegan and gluten free dessert as well as savory and beverage options are added to the menu.
2010	Extraordinary Desserts is featured on Food Network’s hit television show The Best Thing I Ever Ate.