The Sweetest Little Shop in Winston Salem Has Just Celebrated its First Birthday
Winston Salem, NC (PRWEB) September 14, 2006
The sweetest little Shoppe in Winston-Salem has just celebrated its first year in business at 1228 Reynolda Road.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and gourmet chocolates tickles the senses as you make your entrance into SWEETIE’S, a quaint little dwelling that is now home to an array of unique candies and gift items.
Owners Russ & Jackie Williams stated that they wanted to bring a friendly, relaxed shopping experience to the local consumer who is searching for that little gift or candy item that might be out of the ordinary. As well as to provide corporate clients with exceptional items to satisfy their gift giving needs.
The 1928 bungalow that sits opposite the Children’s Home of North Carolina was painstakingly restored to reflect it’s elegant beginnings. With the help of friends and family members every surface was repainted, the hardwood floors restored to their original splendor.
In what was once the living room of Mac and Treva Teague, now serves as the inviting front room of SWEETIE’S. There is an antique fudge case well over 100 years old that houses mouth-watering truffles from Birnn in Burlington, Vermont and a selection of fudge from the Outer Banks. Light fixtures from the local Habitat Re Store and a lovely old sideboard from the downtown Rescue Mission outfitted the store and a large selection of handmade cabinetry much of it made by Russ.
A walk through the store reveals another room dedicated to uniquely packaged gift items by Jackie who claims that if “I can put candy on it around it or near it I will”. Evident by her ability to turn the likes of glass blown candleholders or crystal martini glasses into delightful explosions of chocolate and colors.
Travel a few more steps into the kitchen where there are always plenty of tasty samples and you’ll also find aromatic coffees and teas as well as gourmet cookies, chocolate covered pretzel rods and a very decadent caramel popcorn drizzled with white chocolate and nestled in with pecans, cashews, peanuts and bits of Belgian and white chocolate.
Jackie tells us that part of the charm and appeal of this little sweet Shoppe is that we have taken the time our first year in business to really listen to our consumer to provide them with not only the different and unusual but to also support the local artist and vendors right here in Winston Salem. It is all part of the charm of our store and gives our local artisans a place to showcase their wares.
To that end you will find an entire room dedicated to wonderful stationery, invitations and gift cards by local Winston artist and designer Devora Transou of Devora Designs’ whose latest designs now grace ladies silk PJ’s by Calvin Klein being sold at Neiman Marcus in New York City.
Beautiful tile trivets and hand painted ceramics, award winning photographic greeting cards by Winston’s very own Maria Braucht who for many years had her own very popular coffee and gift shop on Stratford Road. “Maria was and remains an icon in Winston” According to Russ we also carry several flavors of Maria’s locally roasted coffee beans. Here at Sweetie’s you cannot only sample her coffees but it is available for sale freshly brewed by the cup or whole bean by the pound.
There are fragrant gel candles, hand crafted by local husband and wife team, Andy and Debbie Winfrey, and lighting up the corners here and there are the charming seasonal glass blocks by Sandy.
New to Sweetie’s are the decidedly delicious Homemade Goodies by Karen and Nancy; two sisters who moved their respective families from hundreds of miles apart to Winston to be able to start a business venture together. Karen and Nancy provide scrumptious handmade caramels and white chocolate macadamia nut biscotti.
You’ll find two “life size” bunnies waving at you from the front porch every day they have become the store mascots and were hand crafted by local artisan Dee Keegly, whose fabulous stick ponies and unique wooden purses also call Sweetie’s home.
Jackie can be found on many a day helping to make the dreams of local brides come true or catering to the needs of special occasions in the way of hand crafted and customized favors for weddings, birthday’s, anniversaries, Bar or Bat Mitzvah’s. Corporate gift baskets and many ideas for pharmaceutical reps to realtors are her specialty.
She enjoys working with fine candies from around the world and her colorful candy arrangements can be found throughout the store and her work has been commissioned by the likes of Harley Davidson, Regal Marine boats, Outback Steak house and Westgate Resorts in Orlando, Florida. A former merchandising manager for Michael’s Art & Crafts in Florida she made an easy transition to Candy Bouquet Franchise owner and with the help and backing of her husband Russ they moved their business from New Smyrna Beach to Winston.
Russ a North Carolina native was born and raised in Siler City and is a graduate of Davidson College. Jackie, the product of a military home has lived “most everywhere” including a year in Alaska and several years abroad.
We chose Winston because we have a blended family, Russ has two daughters who live here with their families a son and his family in Jacksonville NC. Jackie has two sons in the Marine Corps, stationed at Camp LeJuene in Jacksonville, NC who currently serve with Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Russ, Jackie and the staff at Sweetie’s extend a warm invitation for you to come on by, sample our sweet treats grab a cup of freshly brewed coffee and sit for a spell on our front porch bench. Check out what’s on tap for Halloween and the upcoming Christmas holiday. Whatever the season, whatever the reason Sweetie’s has something special for everyone.
Store hours are Monday – Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
For additional information contact Jackie or Russ at 336-723-4264.
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