In early September, the former Goodies For Gifts Blog introduced you to Lola Salazar, owner of Lola’s Sugar Rush. With a new year dawning, I wanted to post my interview with Lola once again on The Bloggery as a reminder that anything is possible and childhood dreams can come true. Enjoy!
Lola’s Sugar Rush is a colorful old-fashioned candy shop, located in the charming, historic downtown Littleton, Colorado. Step in, and take an instant trip down memory lane; complete with candy cigarettes, atomic fire bombs, squirrel nut zippers, gummies, sours, handmade chocolates, desserts and lots of fun gift boxes.
In the two-plus years it’s been open, it’s become a must see attraction on the Colorado map. Many famous faces have come through the door – Vice President Joe Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, Veronica from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Denver’s mayor and Colorado’s Governor. The store has even been on the Food Network’s Unwrapped show twice!
But the real star of Lola’s Sugar Rush, is Lola Salazar. A petite, 40-something dynamo who wears a constant smile, greets her customers by name after their second visit (or calls them sweetie) and is the driving force behind this delightful retro candy store which just began online sales.
I recently had a chance to interview Lola and find out first-hand how this brilliant entrepreneur has turned her childhood dream into a thriving business that makes kids and grow-ups smile from ear to ear.
What inspired you to open a candy shop?
Working behind a desk! (laughs) I’m just kidding sweetie. Truth is I’ve always loved candy; so much so that my family has called me Sugar since I was a little girl. Owning a candy store was a childhood dream. Unfortunately, it was not a very practical dream to pursue in my early twenties being married and having two small children to raise.
What jobs did you have while you raised your family?
It feels like there are very few jobs I haven’t had. I was a postal employee and carried mail, I earned a B.S and Master’s degree in education, I taught elementary school, and my husband and I started an education foundation which I ran the day to day operations for a number of years.
So what changed? What made you suddenly decide to act on your childhood dream?
On my way into the office every day, I passed through historic downtown Littleton. I kept thinking what a great location it would be for an old-fashioned candy shop. Deep down, I still carried the dream of owning a candy shop. One day I saw the corner building on Main Street go-up for sale and the rest as they say is history. It was my time to realize my dream, just like you have done with Goodies For Gifts.
Absolutely! Isn’t it amazing what happens when you allow yourself to follow your dreams? As soon as I made the decision to start this Goodies For Gifts, it was as if this light bulb came on and the path I was meant to take suddenly become clear.
Exactly! Like you, I am very fortunate to have the support of my family and friends. As a matter of fact, many of my dearest friends help me run the shop. We jokingly call them the Sugar Babes. I couldn’t have turned Lola’s Sugar Rush into what it is today without the help of these very strong and dedicated women.
I have to say I love that you are so supportive of women who have decided to follow their dreams and start small businesses.
We girls need to stick together sweetie! Several of my girlfriends have started their own businesses; we are always encouraging each other and cross-promoting each other’s businesses whenever possible. I love that more and more, women are following their dreams and I think it’s super important we continue to empower and support women’s entrepreneurial spirit.
What’s the next big thing for Lola’s Sugar Rush?
Definitely our online gift shop! I’m very proud of it; it’s colorful, fun and super easy to use. I purposely waited a couple years before starting our online business because it was important to get the brick and mortar off the ground first. Now we’ve developed a very loyal customer base, many of whom come from all over the country. They’d come in, fall in love with the store, and say they wish they had a shop just like this where they live. Now with the power of the internet, people can shop at our virtual store from anywhere, 24/7. I love it!
What makes getting a gift from Lola’s Sugar Rush so special?
We’ve been told our gift boxes turn folks into people giddy when they’re opened. There’s just something about nostalgic candy, and the look and feel of old-fashioned things that just seem to take us back to our play days. It’s like stepping into the Way Way Back Machine and setting the date back to a time when things were much simpler.
Customers can also buy candy that doesn’t come in a gift box – some people buy their favorite candy just for themselves. Candy is a small indulgence to treat ourselves to. It’s not very expensive, it’s fun and whimsical… for me it’s the perfect guilty pleasure.
You’re also very generous when it comes to helping your community.
My husband and I have been so blessed with success in all our endeavors and we both feel very strongly about giving back to the community. Three times a year, we open the shop after hours and host school fundraisers to help underprivileged kids. We have our Sugar Babe Team that walks in the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, and we give gifts for auction at various fundraisers. In fact, every Monday and Tuesday we call our Giving Days. I truly believe we all have a responsibility to help each other however we can.
What was it like to meet the Vice President’s wife?
Oh my gosh sweetie, it was such a thrill! Out of the blue the Secret Service came in and “swept” the whole shop to make sure it was secure. We had no idea she was coming. She’s a delightful woman, very smart, kind and beautiful! She was just like all of our customers though, she was suddenly just like a kid in a candy store. She was a good customer!
Incredible! It has been so fun getting to know you Lola! You are truly an inspiration and I look forward to working together more in the future.
