Floral designer John Nogales and co-owner Sharon Trejo show off the offerings of the Sweet Shoppe. Sharon manages the ice cream and candy, and makes the homemade fudge. John, a floral designer for 15 years, oversees the flower shop and its arrangements. / photo by Garrett Gutierrez

by Julissa Cardenas
photography by Garrett Gutierrez

Stepping into the Sweet Shoppe in downtown La Verne is stepping into three stores in one. That craving for ice cream that led you inside is now diverted by an impulsive craving for candy and then a desire to buy a bouquet of flowers. This is exactly what Bridget Drake, the owner, has in mind. Unlike most small businesses, the Sweet Shoppe makes it its mission to survive by not just offering one thing to its customers but by providing three.

Bridget and daughter Sharon Trejo, part owner, decided that their specialty items would be ice cream, candies and flowers, all conveniently partnered. This sometimes “overwhelming variety is needed to thrive in this economy,” says Bridget. Positive customer feedback the two receive drives them to add more items. “I am very proud of the business I have. In this economy, a business cannot survive on one product or gimmick. You need something that will make you stand out but also something that goes together and benefits the customers,” she says.

With its grand opening February 2010, the shop has quickly become a vital part of old downtown La Verne. The idea for the combined business came to Bridget and Sharon when Pat Gatti, long-time owner of a flower shop, retired. Then Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream also closed. With a retired florist, a closed ice cream shop, a space to lease and a new idea, Bridget turned the closed Dippin’ Dots space into her own ice cream, candy and flower shop. Bridget, from Pomona, says she has made it her mission to thrive in this intimate downtown area, with her innovative ideas and her willingness to make customers happy.

She once was the owner of the Upland restaurant “Jingles”; however, after 4 1/2 years, she sold the restaurant. “I have many years of experience, and, even though the restaurant was more than 15 years ago, I now have an ice cream shop. Although the businesses are demanding, I know that I am ready to get back into it again, and I really enjoy the shop I have today.” She says her family run business is a plus. “Not that many customers get the family feel with a business now a days.” She hired John Nogales, a family member, to manage and arrange the floral designs. And aside from delivering flowers, this is the only shop in La Verne that can wire flowers out for its customers.

Both Bridget and John agree that successful businesses do customer extras. They receive orders for elaborate bouquets, party trays, novelty gifts and even that one single rose that John does not hesitate to provide. “People come in here asking for a single rose, and that’s OK with us; whatever the customer wants, we can make it happen,” she says. For Trish Ciccoianni, University of La Verne assistant director of annual giving, that was true. She says she was recently surprised to receive a flower arrangement from her husband, arranged by the shop. “The flowers are so beautiful, and I’m surprised to say that they really last, which not many flowers do; they are really beautifully arranged.” Even though the shop is located across the street from the University, most of Bridget’s customers are city residents. “The students need to know that we can provide our services for dances, the holidays or even for any gift they are thinking of buying,” John says. “A nicely arranged bouquet for a teacher is a great gift, and it requires personalized attention and quality that the market cannot provide,” Bridget says.

The tasty part of the shop consists of ice cream, candy and other delectable goods that keep customers coming back. There are 21 ice cream flavors—including favorites pistachio almond, spumoni, chocolate malted crunch, bubble gum, cookies and cream, rocky road, black cherry and classic vanilla. The ice cream is all from Humbolt and Thrifty, two famous ice cream brands. Delicious banana splits, where customers can mix and match flavors, are ready for the making. If a customer wants a scoop of chocolate and a scoop of coconut pineapple, it can be done. One scoop is $1.40, and the special waffle cone is $4.50. “I am just trying to supply the customers with what they want while at the same time trying to put a little extra money in my pocket,” she says. “I just need a little help paying the bills.”

Available, too, is candy. Some is sold weighed ($2.50 a quarter pound) while some has a set price. Weighed candy includes jellybeans, gummy worms, gummy army men, chocolate malt balls, sugar rock candy, caramel chews, Swedish fish, fruit runts and skittles. The set price selection includes the always favorite “Pop Rocks” that tingle and crackle in your mouth, to sugar daddies and the good old tootsie roll pops that get chewy at the center. There is also novelty candy—stallion, kings and lucky lights gum plus wafers, whirly pops, sixlets and candy buttons. A new customer favorite, fudge, made by Bridget, is sucrose free and comes in 12 flavors. The fudge is $12.99 a pound, but is also sold in small pieces.

Bridget’s business savvy comes from her will to succeed. “I believe in good old fashioned business. I miss the old customs of a personal touch between a customer and a shop owner,” she says. “In the end, I believe that old-school rules.”

Editor’s Note: Regretfully, after press time and a week before Christmas Day, the Sweet Shoppe owners, without announcement, closed their business. Festive snowmen in a holiday scene on now closed Sweet Shoppe store windows stood in contrast to the overwhelming challenges facing this small business as it tried to survive in a tough business climate.

The traditional three ice cream favorites highlight a 21 flavor menu. / photo by Garrett Gutierrez

Two great anniversary treat tips

Anniversaries are a time to thoughtfully remember that special someone with a greeting and sweets. Gift ideas that express this well come from two of La Verne’s specialty shops.

Sinfully Sweet Apple Company
2084 Foothill Blvd., La Verne
sinfullysweetgourmettreats.com

Look for beautiful anniversary apple arrangements, with prices starting at $5.50. Also on the menu are cupcakes, chocolate dipped fruit, cheesecakes, pretzels, wedding apples, edible ornaments, rice krispy candy (try the chocolate dip) and popcorn. La Verne delivery is $5.

Ellsworth’s Stationers
2317 D St., La Verne

The store has a card for all occasions. Have a special design in mind? Ellsworth’s can order it for you. The store has decorative paper, parchment paper and the classic stationary for that special card, starting at 15 cents per page. A well written, personalized letter really makes a difference.

With more than 50 jars of candies, the Sweet Shoppe lives up to its name. Offered are everything from red, white and blue gummy freedom rings to fruit candies and chocolate sweets. / photo by Garrett Gutierrez

No related posts.

Owners of late night dining in La Verne, (left to right) Kenny Schonfeld of Warehouse Pizza, and Naomi and Tony Spencer of T. Phillips, serve their hungry clientele after hours. / photography by Michael D. Martinez

by Julissa Cardenas
photography by Michael D. Martinez

Approaching one of her favorite La Verne restaurants, Kelli Castillo, a student at Mount San Antonio College, notices a slight change. It is subtle, but her eye catches it. The restaurant’s usual high grade has slipped from an “A” to a “B.” Kelli is undeterred, but she is perhaps more forgiving than others. For some, a restaurant’s grade makes all the difference on where they dine. And for La Verne’s restaurant owners, it is the realization of their worst fear to slip to a “B,” never mind a “C” rating. For even a “B” plastered on the front window is as unwelcome as graffiti. Yet, as more and more questionable grades—”B’s,” even occasional “C’s” appeared on some local restaurants last fall and spring, diners may have wondered about the trend.

The Bowl House, the place where many members of the La Verne community grab a delicious bowl of teriyaki chicken, briefly held a “C” grade, along with the Phoenix Garden Chinese Restaurant and T. Phillips Alehouse & Grill. The Phoenix Garden had a “C” in the beginning of January 2010, while T. Phillips had a “C” in May of 2009. Both quickly corrected the ratings to “A’s.”

The Bowl House, too, managed to bounce back, improving its score to a “B.” While an improvement, the “B” was given due to dirty food contacts and improper food temperature. These two violations impeded Bowl House’s chances to gain an “A.” As the Bowl House owners learned, just two violations in section one, which deals with serious issues such as rodents, water temperature and food contamination, can drop a restaurant’s grade dramatically.

Angel’s Place, also located on La Verne’s “D” Street, in March 2010 carried a “B” rating for “Clean/ Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces.”

For Kenny Schonfeld, the owner of Warehouse Pizza, located on “D” Street, getting a “B” was a real shock. “I had a “B” for the first time in 24 years,” recalls Schonfeld. “I’ve always had an ‘A.’” According to the inspection form, Warehouse Pizza had two violations. The salad bowl was not covered, and the food temperature was not up to par. While less than excellent ratings were the situation for many La Verne restaurants, Schonfeld was determined to change his “B” as quickly as possible. “I paid $274 for the re-inspection, and within 10 days [the inspector] returned. I have to say I was surprised because we had been doing the same thing for 24 years, but I am happy to say my final grade returned to an ‘A,’” Schonfeld says.

A restaurant that has managed to keep an “A” rating is the Taco Factory, located on Foothill Boulevard. Christina De Anda, cashier of Taco Factory, is happy about her rating. “As long as I can remember, it has always been an “A.” At times, it has been borderline, but we always manage to get the best rating,” De Anda says. “It’s always done at random; we never know when the inspector is about to show, but we are always prepared,” De Anda explains.

The element of surprise is something that many restaurant owners deal with; for some, it can be difficult managing customers and the health inspector at the same time. “The inspector can be inspecting for quite some time. There are some who stay and thoroughly inspect everything, but my staff and I have to continue on with the business; there are hungry customers,” Schonfeld says.

The La Verne inspector explains his job

Angel Ramirez is the health inspector who inspected Warehouse Pizza and other restaurants in La Verne. “We are trained to have a bird’s eye view, to take everything in all at once; that is my job. The first thing I do is to take a good view of the place. I look at the windows, the walls, the staff, pretty much everything and my surroundings,” says Ramirez.

Ramirez never leaves his office without his tool kit, its main implement being a thermocouple, which is a fancy evolved thermometer that allows inspectors to receive fast readings of temperature. In his kit, he also carries his evaluation forms and the big letters that one sees in a restaurant’s window. He has been doing this job for eight years.

The element of surprise that the owners get during a visit from Ramirez is not as enjoyable for him as one would think. “The surprise is part of my job; it is the way it is. I don’t enjoy it, and I don’t hate it. If we didn’t do it that way, they would prepare ahead of time, and we would not see how it really is. It’s like a candid view, a candid camera.”

During the inspection, Ramirez prefers to separate business and friendship. “I am a health inspector, and during the inspection that is my job. After the inspection is when we can socialize.” The one thing that Ramirez understands and emphasizes during his visits is the education that an owner needs in order to understand why her rating was the way it was.

“The best tool for this kind of relationship is education; otherwise, they don’t understand the details. If you educate them, they don’t question because they know what it takes to get a “B” or an “A,” although everyone wants an “A” even though a “B” is not bad,” says Ramirez. “When an owner questions my final rating, I encourage them to have a meeting with the Health Department in order to fully understand what it takes to get an “A.” I do not do it on purpose; I simply am doing my job.”

Asked whether he eats at a “B” establishment, Ramirez’s answer was surprising. “You look at a ‘B’ rating, and that is normal; it’s not too bad. I eat at restaurants with a ‘B’; there are just a couple of minor violations. Now a ‘C’; those are major food violations, and there is no way I will eat anywhere with a ‘C.’” In order to get a “C,” a restaurant has violations in both section one and possibly section two on the inspection form. Section two has in-depth violations that deal with improper food handling, improperly cleaned utensils and surfaces, and hazardous chemical storage. For example, if a restaurant has uncooked food stored above cooked food, that is a dangerous violation because of food contamination risks. There is a grade below a “C,” which results in restaurant closure. When a restaurant receives a closure rating, it receives 48-hour notice by the Health Department. “I always make it my mission to complete the inspection before making any brash decisions. I continue to inspect, even if I see questioning signs; everyone deserves a thorough inspection,” Ramirez says.

A retired health inspector remembers

Kaleigh Downing is a retired health inspector who recalls many horrors in the food industry. “I’ve inspected restaurants, bars, strip joints, markets; you name it.” Aside from viewing cockroach spray in many restaurants’ pantries, there were other memorable items that are hard to forget. “I remember this place in China Town where the cutting boards had animal droppings. There are places where you instantly walk in, and you know they have to be shut down immediately,” Downing recalls.

As the food industry keeps evolving, many rules that are enforced now did not exist while Downing was inspecting. “I remember that we did not have a grading system with ‘A’s,’ ‘B’s,’ and ‘C’s,’ and restaurant owners did not pay for re-inspection,” says Downing. Depending on the violations, inspectors would return within a day, weeks or months. Owners would simply have to wait. As more and more restaurant owners complain about the re-inspection fees, Downing has a few words to say about their complaints. “The restaurants shouldn’t be complaining about paying for a re-check fee because they shouldn’t have gotten a ‘B’ or less in the first place.”

Public opinion on the ratings

With the grading system, many restaurants may suffer business loss with a “B” or “C” rating due to public misconceptions. “I never eat at a “C” restaurant,” says Michelle Kazman, a University of La Verne education major. “There are many things that come to mind when I think of those ratings, and, personally, those restaurants are not for me. A sushi place definitely must have an ‘A’ because I am eating raw food. When it comes to a ‘B’ rating, I may still eat there, depending on the food and the place, but it is always best to have an ‘A,’” says Kazman.

For Kelli Castillo, ratings are not so important. “I rarely check for ratings, or I rarely see them on the windows. If I stumble across a ‘C’ rating, that’s when I pay attention and choose to not eat there. Other than that, it’s not a big deal.”

While some prefer “A’s” and do not pay much attention to the ratings, others are very particular about the places where they eat. “I only eat at places with an ‘A’ rating, and I specifically look for the ‘A’ if it is hidden,” Brenda Pena, a student at Pasadena City College says. “It’s a matter of health for the customer, but it is also a matter of pride as a business owner to have a good rating,” says Pena. “With a good rating, which is an “A,” the owner is happy, and the customers keep coming back.”

Also see the companion story, “How restaurants earn their letters.”

With boastful pride, the La Verne management of T. Phillips Alehouse & Grill on “D” Street keeps its coveted Health Department “A” rating in a locked display cabinet. / photo by Michael D. Martinez

No related posts.

The letters “A,” “B” or “C” are like test student test grades: 90-100 is an “A,” 80-89 is a “B,” and 70-79 is a “C.” These grades are awarded by a point system comprised of five sections. The inspector deducts points for violations of the regulations.

Understandably, since the grades are posted for all to see, restaurants strive for the “A” and try to earn it by passing a five-part inspection. Section one includes serious health concerns such as vermin, food temperature and water sanitization. Food temperature is important to the safety of customers. For example, eggs, or food containing raw eggs needs to be heated to 145°F, while pork needs to be heated to 155°F. Aside from food temperature, a vermin problem should be non-existent in any restaurant.

Thawing methods, diligent food preparation and the proper sanitizing of utensils are only a small portion of section two. The maximum deduction here is 28. Included are stored items such as chemicals, containers, kitchen fixtures and food coverage/placement. One violation in section one, and a couple in section two can immediately land a restaurant in the “C” ranking.

Structural violations such as ceilings and walls are inspected in section three, with a maximum deduction of 36. Sink fixtures, pipes, hair restraints and exhaust shells are also inspected. Restaurants need to have proper infrastructure and look neat in order to stay deduction free. These violations are the least serious and rarely damage a restaurant’s grade.

Sections four and five deal with permits, bulletins and food signs warning customers of possible allergic reactions. These two sections do not impact a restaurant’s grade, but corrections still need to be implemented.

Also see the companion story, “Let’s eat out.”

No related posts.