Hidden on Davis Street, away from Burger King and Andy’s traffic, is a small store with blue walls, modern designs and a poster that reads, “We strive to bring you the best cupcake experience you’ve ever had and bring about a positive change.”

For a store that caters to families, the combination of great food and good deeds make TinyDog an appealing choice. In a city that is dominated by chains, TinyDog provides a momentary escape to a small town feel. The staff greets you with a smile and conversation, metal swirls grace the walls and the platters up cupcakes seem as if they are calling your name.

TinyDog was born when Rob Mockard, a 2004 Kellogg graduate, decided to combine his love of food with business. The store is named after Bali, Mockard’s Jack Russell Terrier, but TinyDog aims to change more than the quality of Evanston cupcakes. Mockard’s plans for the store include donating a portion of every cupcake sale to charity, said employee Jake Pollock, a senior at Northwestern.

While customers vote online for the charities to which TinyDog will donate, the store aims to target families with promotions and give-a-ways.

“We see families with little kids and people who work downtown,” Pollack said. “We’re trying to develop a place where people can come and hang out.”

Although the store opened in November 2010, the official grand opening, complete with a ribbon cutting, did not occur until June. Since then, Mockard and his employees have promoted their product through free samples. At this month’s Fourth of July parade, Pollock and assistant manager Rachel Birnbaum handed out cupcake sandwiches, consisting of two cupcake bottoms stuck together with icing. It is one of the new cupcakes that TinyDog makes every week.

While the staff continues to design new cupcakes, flavors like Barking Blueberry, Raspberry Swirl, Vanilla Vanilla, Salty Caramel and Red Velvety remain TinyDog’s signature flavors.

The staff is also a close-knit group. Half of the 14 staff members live in Evanston and make time to see movies and get together at each other’s houses. They are not just co-workers, they are friends. Pollock and Birnbaum, for instance, are dating.

Despite the feel-good story that TinyDog provides, its success will hinge based on its ability to attract Northwestern students during the school year and cherubs during the summer, Pollack said.

Katie Calderon of Arizona and Eliana Steinberg of California are two of the many cherubs TinyDog has attracted this summer.

“For anyone who likes culture and all things independent, TinyDog Cupcake is your place,” Calderon said.

The two friends have been to TinyDog three times in the past few weeks, where Steinberg gets cake pops, a TinyDog specialty featuring a small cupcake on the end of a wooden stick.

“I love the graphic design, the interior, and the cake pops,” Steinberg said. “It’s the only hip place in Evanston. It’s catered to people our age. They gave me a larger cupcake for free cause that’s just how nice they are.”