Pasadena Magazine is the bi-monthly magazine of Pasadena and its surrounding areas – the diverse, historically rich and culturally vibrant region that includes Glendale, the Eastside of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley all the way to Claremont.
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Sugarfina: A Sweet Success Once you set foot in this Pasadena sugar shop for adults, you'll rediscover the joy of being "a kid in a candy store." STORY BY // SARA SMOLA ∫ OWNERS ROSIE O'NEILL AND JOSH RESNICK ENVISIONED THE NOVEL CONCEPT OF A CANDY STORE FOR GROWN UPS DURING THE EARLY PERIOD OF THEIR COURTSHIP. "SUGARFINA CAME ABOUT BECAUSE JOSH—WHO IS NOW MY FIANCÉ— TOOK ME TO SEE WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY ON OUR THIRD DATE AND AFTER THE MOVIE WE WERE REALLY OBSESSED WITH THE MOVIE AND WITH THE idea of why aren't there any candy stores for grown-ups and only for kids? Why should kids have all the fun? We started brainstorming about what would a grown up candy store look like, what would it be like, what kind of candy? We started traveling around the world and looking for all these really interesting candies that haven't been in the U.S.," Sugarfina Co- Founder Rosie O'Neill explains. Just as sweet-natured as her growing empire of candylands, O'Neill took the time to chat with me about Sugarfina's candy-coated success. With several shops in California alone (and quickly expanding across North America!), Pasadena was lucky enough to be selected as one of Sugarfina's storefront locales due in part to O'Neill's love of the city. Now, Pasadenans can get their sugar fix whenever the cravings hit. "We have always had a soft spot for Pasadena. I love the history of the city. It's a warm and charming community and neighborhood. I particularly fell in love with the alley that we're on—Hugus Alley. There's a really cool feeling to that neighborhood," says O'Neill. Sugarfina's elegant atmosphere certainly contributes to the neighborhood appeal with their carefully curated selection of gourmet goodies. This upscale sugar stop has gone the extra mile by packaging the treats to perfection (a far cry from shoveling stale candies into a plastic bag like at a standard retailer). For those in search of a gifting go-to, Sugarfina's CANDYLAND. Sugarfina is taking the nation by storm with their sweet shops filled with gourmet chocolates, gummies and jellies. FEBRUARY 2016 53 feature2_Feb16.indd 53 1/20/16 2:39 PM