In the heart of Solvang’s bustling downtown, three Santa Ynez Valley moms—Tracy Angel, Shannyn Tupper, and Claudia Contreras—have found a way to transform their love of baking into a business.
The enterprising trio started out in June 2010 as a baked goods delivery and catering service, specializing in children’s parties and weddings, before moving into a shop inside the Olive House. Valley Sweets opened Feb. 12, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
“We started getting people asking us to bake for them,” Angel said. “So we kind of got together and figured we could make a business out of it. It kind of snowballed from there.”
Anchoring the shop’s delectable menu are cupcakes made fresh daily in an array of unique flavors, like dulce de leche, horchata, and toasted coconut. Two flavors are offered during the week, and three on weekends—plus alcohol-infused cocktail cupcakes like the Mint Mojito, the Cosmopolitan, and Angel’s favorite, the Vaquero Margarita. It’s a tequila lime cupcake with real tequila butter-cream, a wedge of lime, and a sprinkle of salt.
Other delectable food items you won’t find anywhere else include gourmet-flavored marshmallows and Whoopie Pies made from scratch. Old-fashioned sweet shop candies line the walls, where children can fill their own bags to their hearts’ delight.
So nobody gets left out, Valley Sweets can also make your cupcake sugar-free, vegan, or dairy free, and will soon offer a candy line free of eggs, nuts, dairy, and gluten.
“If your kid has food allergies, it’s really hard to find something for them,” Angel said. “We can pretty much satisfy any sweet tooth.”
To help save time for other busy moms, Angel, Contreras, and Tupper created Valley Sweets as a one-stop shop for parties, complete with invitations, napkins, and birthday candles. Other wares include aprons, capes, and jewelry, handmade by local artisans.
“We definitely wanted to have more unique things and as much handmade things as we could, especially by women,” Contreras said. “We’re supporting other moms that make stuff.”
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Tuesdays), Valley Sweets also caters birthday parties, weddings, and delivers for a fee.
Valley Sweets is at 1661 Mission Drive in Solvang. For more information, call 686-0200 or visit syvalleysweets.com or the shop’s Facebook page.
Highlights
• The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce is accepting registrations for its 26th annual Business Trade Show, scheduled for June 16 at the Santa Maria Fairpark.
The event offers businesses an opportunity to showcase products and services to other businesspeople and community members. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras.
Registrants will receive a 10-by-10-foot furnished booth, an 8-foot table with a skirt, two chairs, and access to electricity. Booth presenters will need to bring marketing materials, products, and display items. Exhibitors will have the afternoon to demonstrate and sell products and services, take names for callbacks and direct mailings, and give away free samples and promotional items.
The show is reserved exclusively for exhibitors and their invited guests (up to six) from 3 to 4:30 p.m., and then will open to the public until 7 p.m. The event is free to attendees who present a business card or guest pass, and $2 to others. The cost to exhibit is $275 for business members and $170 for nonprofits or food vendors.
To secure a spot, visit santamariavalleychamber.com or call Marcy Lariz at 925-2403, Ext. 816.
• Presale tickets are now available for the 2011 Strawberry Festival, scheduled for April 29 to May 1 at the Santa Maria Fairpark.
Tickets are available until April 24 at Rabobank locations in Santa Maria, Orcutt, Guadalupe, and Nipomo, as well as La Miramar in Santa Maria and Lompoc; Super Carniceria La Chiquita Markets in Santa Maria, Nipomo, and Guadalupe; at the Santa Maria Fairpark ticket office; or online at santamariafairpark.com.
Tickets cost $5 for guests 12 and older, $2 for youth ages 6 to 11, and $15 for unlimited carnival ride wristbands.
For more information, call 925-8824 or visit santamariafairpark.com.
Biz Spotlight/Highlights are written and compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Apr 7-14, 2011.
