Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: All right, welcome to the Tell Me youe Story podcast with Stan Houdy. And I am filled with talent today in the podcast studio because.
And Heather will appreciate this. This is a Stan and Shen joint as I've invited in our business editor, Shenandoah. Shenandoah. I was just at the school today doing football. I apologize.
So this is the way we kick this off now. So she's already mad at me.
[00:00:26] Speaker B: So. So.
[00:00:26] Speaker A: But.
[00:00:27] Speaker C: So I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed.
[00:00:30] Speaker A: That's it. So I invited Shen in as our business editor to bring in the very talented and lovely Heather Lent, the owner of Bittersweet Chocolate.
And the ask of bringing Shen in on this was that at times inseparable. But when we're on J Street, we have to go see Heather at Bittersweet.
[00:00:54] Speaker C: Oh, yes.
[00:00:54] Speaker A: Obviously, it's like. It is like a stop the chocolate covered Oreo.
[00:01:00] Speaker B: Thank you. I appreciate that so much, guys.
[00:01:03] Speaker A: So that's why, you know, I saw you posted that you're turning, you know, BITTERsweet is turning 20 the end of this month. And I. And I talked to Shen, and I'm like, here's what I think. I want to. I want to bring her on the podcast and. And do the Tell me your story, but I want to bring you in because obviously our relationship with you as a business owner and as a person, saving our bacon on summer night, literally giving us cover and just being a go to and everything you've done, and she was agreeable, and then you were agreeable. So this is kind of like magic.
[00:01:33] Speaker C: I just want to note that the timing is actually perfect because it coincides right with the start of our Schenectady series, too, where we're looking at Schenectady past, present, future, the past, you know, 25 years later. And I mean, you've almost, you know, you've been in this area for that, almost the span of that. So you've also been one of those people who's sort of really seen Schenectady change over the years, seen J Street change over the years.
And so I think that's a good way to like, sort of jump us off here is just like, you know, in your 20 years, how much have you watched this city grow, prosper, change?
[00:02:09] Speaker B: A lot? I mean, my full 20 years has not been in Schenectady, but I have been in and out of Schenectady for that whole time because my family is here. So even before my store was on J Street, I was on J Street. I, you know, I have Like, Facebook memories from, like, 15 years ago where I'm like, wow, J Street's really cute now.
And my store wasn't even there yet, so it's. It's just amazing to see. I'm so happy and proud of us, for sure.
[00:02:38] Speaker A: When did you're celebrating? 20.
[00:02:42] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:02:43] Speaker A: So were you like the Easy Bake Oven? Because you're like, 26. So what was. What was the evolution. What was the inspiration of Bittersweet? What was the evolution of that? Because we know you of J Street. That's like our last five years together has been J Street and Heather and the gang and everybody down there. So how did the bittersweet story begin?
[00:03:07] Speaker B: So it started. I was a.
[00:03:09] Speaker C: Wait, hold on. Is it bittersweet?
[00:03:11] Speaker B: I mean, it is.
[00:03:12] Speaker C: I had to get that one in there.
[00:03:13] Speaker B: It kind of is.
[00:03:14] Speaker C: I just had to come off.
[00:03:15] Speaker B: It's literally named after me. So let's just keep that real.
So bittersweet Candy started. I was a career bartender, and every holiday season we would all, like, do gifts for each other. I would, like, bake cookies one year or whatever. And then one year I got it in my head I wanted to make peppermint bark. So, like, I did peppermint bark. I did it in little, like, mason jars. Before everything was in mason jars.
[00:03:40] Speaker C: And.
[00:03:40] Speaker B: And I gave it to everybody I worked with, and they loved it. And then the next year, they were like, hey, are you making that peppermint bark again? And I was like, well, I was gonna do something different. They're like, no, no, that's what we want. But also, can we, like, order some from you? Like, we wanna give it as gifts, so can you, like, make some extra?
So that year I was like, all right, cool. I made gifts and then I sold some just to, like, friends and family type of things. And after that season, I kind of made the decision that that's what I wanna do. So I just went.
Started in Poughkeepsie, actually. I went, made the DBA or whatever you do when you first start a business, and shortly thereafter found a storefront in Poughkeepsie.
And it was the beginning of a recession and I was still bartending full time. Doing the store.
I didn't like that location. I moved to a more foot traffic location.
Still working, bartending like crazy, trying to run the store, and it just didn't work. And it was bittersweet because it was like, soul crushing to, like, work as hard as you physically, physically can and not succeed. Because I'm a. Like, just work harder and It'll eventually be okay type of person. And it just wasn't. And I didn't know what to do. So I closed the stores.
I still kept the website open. I have a lot of wholesale customers, so I was still working, actively doing it in a off site, commercial kitchen type of thing, and did that for years. And then when I moved upstate, I was initially looking in Saratoga. I moved to Saratoga, bartended up there, looked around, was trying to find the perfect property. And then as I was spending so much time in Schenectady, where my family is, I was realizing more and more that Saratoga was not the correct choice for me. It was Schenectady. So that's kind of how it all started and how I ended up here.
And then I opened into Covid.
[00:05:41] Speaker A: So for us that know you with the J Street location, was that. Has that been the spot when you landed in Schenectady, or did you.
[00:05:51] Speaker C: So.
[00:05:52] Speaker B: No, because I couldn't find a building because real estate people knew what I knew, that. That Schenectady was about to pop off. So I would look at a building and I'd be like, this is the building. And then it would be sold. And then I would be like, this is the building, and it would be sold.
And I actually was getting frustrated. And the Clinton Street Mercantile was opening up, and that was a maker space where you could just like, rent out a small space and sell your goods. So I had. I was like, well, I have a presence in Schenectady if I'm in the Clinton Street Mercantile. And then one day I was on J Street and a friend of mine was like, hey, this spot is for rent. And I was. I said, I don't want to rent. It's a lot of money for the plumbing and all the work that goes into a kitchen. And he was like, oh, it's an old bakery.
So I went. I looked at it. I was like, forcing cash into my landlord's hand. He was like, well, you know, aggressively. I loved it the second I walked in there and knew that's where I was supposed to be. So it was like, for. For the spot I'm in. It was love at first sight.
[00:06:52] Speaker C: The timing had finally worked out.
[00:06:53] Speaker B: Yeah. So I. I am where I'm supposed to be. Because with a candy store, you need foot traffic, right? So J Street arguably has some of the best foot traffic in downtown Schenectady. And, like, you don't wake up in the morning thinking you're going to a candy store unless it's, like, around the holidays. But then you're walking down the Candy store. It's 3 o' clock in the afternoon, you're a little tired, and you're like, I could use an Oreo. So foot traffic is key. And I did need to be on J Street. And so everything that didn't work out put me in the place that I am supposed to be.
[00:07:23] Speaker C: I just want to note that I do wake up in the morning.
I need to go to a candy store. In fact, this morning was one of those mornings, but I did not make it there.
But I do have a question just to back up, because you mentioned you're from Poughkeepsie. I gotta ask.
We have a person in this office who's also from said area.
[00:07:41] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:07:41] Speaker A: I did time in Fishkill.
[00:07:43] Speaker C: Okay. Is it called full disclosure?
[00:07:45] Speaker A: Oh, Lord.
[00:07:47] Speaker C: This is our sandwich debate in the office. What do you. What do you call it?
[00:07:50] Speaker A: Sub Hoagie? Wedge Grinder?
[00:07:52] Speaker B: Not a wedge. I don't use the word wedge. I've heard it.
[00:07:55] Speaker C: Thank God. I like you even more because of that.
[00:07:58] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:07:59] Speaker C: But I also. One thing I dislike about Chad.
[00:08:02] Speaker B: Sorry, Chad. Sorry I couldn't have your back on that. He can't represent.
[00:08:06] Speaker C: But I hate it even more after learning how the guy came up with it. He just got tired of saying sandwich because apparently he had so many customers. Saying the word sandwich was too hard.
[00:08:18] Speaker B: Did he mention the business?
[00:08:20] Speaker C: Yes, it's in the story, but I can't recall what it is off the top of my head. And I want to say, was it. It's in that area that they say it, but I want to say the store wasn't even in that area. It's more of like sort of New York City, Long island, maybe.
[00:08:31] Speaker B: So I was gonna say that's even south of Poughkeepsie. I'd say that that goes Poughkeepsie south for sure.
[00:08:37] Speaker C: Yeah. I'm just glad. Glad it's not Ledge.
Thank goodness. I had to ask. I had to get it out the way it was. I had it written down. I was like, we gotta ask.
[00:08:47] Speaker B: I saw you feverishly taking notes. I didn't know about sandwiches.
[00:08:51] Speaker C: Very important topic.
But back to chocolate. Oh, God.
[00:08:56] Speaker A: Back to Heather the in.
You know, again, you were doing this as a baker. Excuse me, as a bartender, and then you decided to do this.
Was it always in the family? Was it something you had you likened, or did we just like, I'm just gonna do this.
[00:09:15] Speaker B: It was literally me just doing something and liking it. And I've always wanted to figure out how to do something I love and make money at it.
We all work a lot, so why do something that makes you miserable? You should definitely just, like, try to find the one thing that makes you happy and see if there's a way to monetize that. So when I started doing it and I was really loving it, and I was making people happy, which is another thing, right? Like, you're a bartender. You're making people happy. You make candy, you make people happy. So, like, I make people happy for a living, which is kind of great.
So it was that the.
[00:09:51] Speaker A: And you have options. Like I said, you want to create, you do the bark, and then you want to do something different. You're starting to expand.
Were you thinking, like, you're in Poughkeepsie, you're a stone's throw to CIA?
[00:10:03] Speaker B: I worked at the CIA, so Culinary.
[00:10:06] Speaker A: Institute of America, in case Shen had a little bit of a blank look on her face.
Not the Agency I fear. CIA. The agency I love.
[00:10:14] Speaker B: Not the ones that are listening to us right now.
[00:10:16] Speaker C: First of all, the CIA that we all fear. I like some chocolate pharaohs. Less so if you're listening, you can go get some. That's right, Heather.
But yes, I just want c. CIA was, though. I just want to know that.
[00:10:29] Speaker A: I didn't. I wasn't sure.
[00:10:30] Speaker C: So there.
[00:10:31] Speaker B: The Hudson Valley is definitely, like, inspiring. And I was working at the CIA while I had this business, so I didn't necessarily take any classes there, which is unfortunate. But I was exposed to the best pastry chefs in the world, the best chocolatiers in the world. So if anything, I knew what it was supposed to look like and supposed to taste like. And I knew using the best ingredients gives you the best product. So you. If you're gonna use a cheap chocolate, you're gonna have a cheap tasting chocolate. If you use the best chocolate as your base chocolate to make your creations, you're gonna have the best tasting chocolate. So these are things that you just pick up in such a, like, food rich environment, like, is in the Hudson Valley.
[00:11:12] Speaker C: So. Well, I'm gonna jump in here. So speaking on ingredients, obviously we have a significant number of things going on in the world right now. Couple weather and tariffs. I mean, how is that and how has it over the years, like, really impacted your business and what you do? Because if I'm not mistaken, chocolate prices are.
[00:11:31] Speaker B: Chocolate prices are up 70% in five years.
[00:11:35] Speaker C: Yes, I know. Halloween candy is getting ruined. Yeah, it might just be for me.
[00:11:39] Speaker B: No, it's. It's all crazy. Expensive. The first 10 years of my business, I never had to raise my bark prices. I set a price. I was able to stick to that price.
Just whatever day I posted that, I was sitting at my computer, I'm talking to my co worker about like all the plans for the anniversary party and I'm placing my order and the digit was wrong. Like usually it's one price and now it's a whole nother price. And I like gasped, stopped my conversation, grabbed a calculator. It was like, holy crap, this just went up $2 a pound. Which is earth shattering. Like that is a wild price jump in just I order every week. So in one week, $2 a pound is just outlandish. I have a lot of wholesale customers. Their prices have already been raised.
I have raised my prices once in the store and will probably have to again. Unfortunately.
I try to price so everybody can have chocolate I don't want to get away from. Schenectady is a working class town and I don't want this to be such a luxury that nobody can have it. So I'm trying my hardest to keep it priced for everybody to be able to afford. But the world is fighting against me right now.
[00:12:55] Speaker A: When you go into the store, it is homemade in a sense. Chocolate heaven, you know.
And then it's the throwback to that candy that one of us grew up with.
Some of us knew of and others just like.
[00:13:19] Speaker C: A way to put that.
[00:13:20] Speaker A: Yeah, I was seeking. This is a little bit different. I'm not as harsh on this one.
Did that auto as soon as you, when you saw the door and you walked in and saw the layout and then you went into the back where the magic happens, you know, in your kitchen. Did you envision the layout you have now when you walked in? Like, I'm going to fill this with my chocolate. This is going to be bittersweet. This is like, you know, you're in a chocolate store and then over here on this wall, this is everything I've heard of, seen from there. Or did you think the whole thing was going to be chocolate?
[00:13:56] Speaker B: I never thought the whole thing was going to be chocolate just because I love the old school candies. And to your point, there is old school from every generation, right? So as we discussed earlier, some of the candies like the Reggie bar and the sky bar, you were probably like super excited about my generation. It would be like whatchamacallits and Chiclets. But your generation would have had their own nostalgic chocolate. So all three of us had it the Other day. Yeah, all three of us have. I have candies from like every generation that people that are even in their 20s are like, oh, I had this when I was a kid.
[00:14:29] Speaker C: I loved it.
[00:14:29] Speaker B: So I want everybody to get that feeling that like nostalgic because yes, my chocolate is delicious. But then when a grown 40 something year old man walks in and sees a Reggie bar and his face lights up for $2, like you can't put a price on that.
[00:14:45] Speaker A: The for.
There was a good question there. It was wonderful. Go ahead.
[00:14:51] Speaker C: I. I got. Well, first of all, I had 100 grand. That's. That's my jam, right. That's my number one candy. You put that in the freezer and then you eat it after. Oh, so good. Anyways, now I'm thinking about it, but okay. Speaking of chocolate, you do the bark. You do like chocolate covered Oreos.
Anything new coming up?
[00:15:10] Speaker B: A couple of things new coming out.
People have been begging me for a couple things and just with time constraints, I recently have something that I have never had before. I am training a new employee to work in the front with the people package candy.
[00:15:26] Speaker C: Wait, you were hiring?
I could have applied.
Oh, man. Missed opportunity.
[00:15:31] Speaker B: You can be an official taster.
[00:15:33] Speaker C: Okay, I will take that.
[00:15:35] Speaker A: But she's add that to the resin.
[00:15:37] Speaker B: She's also going to help me in the kitchen a bit, which will allow me to come out with the stuff that people have been asking for. Number one request that's coming up soon, peanut butter cups.
And not just peanut butter cups, like cups with all the things, like homemade mallow cups.
[00:15:52] Speaker C: Ooh, mallow cup burnts. Oh, I forgot how much. Those are good.
[00:15:56] Speaker B: Yeah, so I have some of those coming up. I have turtles coming up which everybody's been asking for. And I might as well tell you one of the barks that is coming up. It's a little crazy chicken and waffles bark.
[00:16:11] Speaker C: Ooh, I like it. I'm ready.
[00:16:13] Speaker B: Hear me out.
So it's chicken skins which are a little spicy.
Some Nashville Spice like on a regular chicken. And waffles. The maple candies, some of that chopped up so you get the maple syrup taste. And waffle cones so it'll be chicken skins which have a nice spicy crunch to them. Waffle cones and the very sweetness of maple candy. Sounds crazy, tastes delicious.
[00:16:39] Speaker C: How do you come up with this?
[00:16:40] Speaker B: I don't know and I swear I wasn't stoned when I came up with that one.
That sounds like a stoner idea.
That was not. That was me. I just.
[00:16:49] Speaker C: Listen, if you Ever need ideas? I feel like I can definitely give.
[00:16:51] Speaker B: You a few send jot things down. I mean, the fish and chips bark is one of our most popular, and that came from the tater trot, because I need to come up with something that had potatoes in it.
[00:17:01] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:02] Speaker B: And then I was like, oh, Swedish fish. Like, I like the, like, crunchy, sweet, savory combo. And I was just going to do them for that, and then everybody was like, no, we want that year round.
[00:17:10] Speaker C: So that was really good. I remember eating that at the.
[00:17:13] Speaker B: Yeah. Yes.
[00:17:13] Speaker C: Yeah, you guys had that.
[00:17:15] Speaker B: So, I mean, I obviously have, like, more traditional barks, but those are some of the new things that are coming out. And yeah, the chicken and waffles I've been wanting to do for a really long time. So I'm just gonna go ahead and do that.
[00:17:25] Speaker C: I'm gonna have to go take down notes of every bark she already currently has, so I don't give her any.
[00:17:30] Speaker A: Well, I think for the Christmas website, the Christmas gift giving section.
[00:17:35] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:17:36] Speaker A: That the business editor will probably be in charge of.
[00:17:38] Speaker C: Yes, always.
[00:17:42] Speaker A: So I do remember the question now is the recipe.
Did you know it, find it?
How long did it take to get to where you are now?
Because part of, again, being a mixologist, you know, baking and things like that, it's more exacting than a little bit of this, a little bit of that, you know, like. Like mom sauce.
[00:18:06] Speaker C: Wait, that's not how you cook.
[00:18:08] Speaker A: I'm a baker, so everything's exact.
[00:18:09] Speaker B: Exact. Yeah.
[00:18:10] Speaker A: The bride is. She has to, like, literally think of everything. Because it's.
[00:18:14] Speaker C: When I cook, I just open the cupboard and go, what's seasoning today?
[00:18:18] Speaker B: So when I cook, I do that. But when you bake, especially with chocolate, I have to be very, very specific. It's a bunch of, like, making things a lot of times and making your friends and family eat it and, like, honestly critique you. I have very good friends and family that will be like, I love this, but this is too salty for my taste. Or I love this, but I didn't love this part of it, or that is way too spicy for normal humans or whatever like that. So it's just thinking, coming up with an idea. And there are some that are classic. Like, I make cranberry almond bark. Everybody makes cranberry almond bark. It's not something I invented. It's like figuring out the ratios. So you just make it a couple times until you get to the point where you like it, and then that's the recipe.
[00:19:03] Speaker C: And.
[00:19:03] Speaker B: And, yeah, I don't even look at recipes anymore. At this point, I'm just doing it.
[00:19:09] Speaker C: I have a question.
[00:19:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:19:12] Speaker C: Dubai chocolate, it's very popular right now.
Do you have it? Are you getting it? So some of these are self serving questions, but I'm also curious because it is very popular right now. This is like one of the most popular chocolates on TikTok. It is.
[00:19:26] Speaker A: What is Dubai chocolate? Why is it hot?
[00:19:29] Speaker B: Okay. It's hot because of TikTok with everything. I have to have TikTok just to find out candy trends because there are things that will just come up like tiny wax bottles that we have seen our entire lives. I can't keep on the shelves right now because some kid drank it on TikTok and now everybody has to have.
[00:19:46] Speaker C: Some 14 year old. Exactly like, oh my God.
[00:19:49] Speaker B: So that these kids are pushing candy economy, which is wild.
So the Dubai chocolate is. I don't know who invented it. I don't know where it came from. I started seeing it quite a while ago.
I have made them. They are beautiful and delicious.
They're difficult, expensive and delicate and that is just not what I want to do.
So I have been working on and I am almost done with a Dubai Chocolate bark.
So it will be the same thing but like less gooey. Like the gooey texture really like didn't do it for me. So it'll have all the delicious flavors. It's pistachio. They do pistachio paste. I'm doing my own version of that which I'm currently working on and I will not be able to pronounce it, but it's like kaffiki or some sort of shredded phyllo dough which gives it a cool, crunchy texture.
There's tajin in it, which is sesame seed paste.
And yeah, I'm working on a Dubai chocolate bark which will be out very, very soon. So I will, I will send emails right away.
[00:21:01] Speaker C: Let me know if you need a taste tester.
[00:21:03] Speaker B: I will.
[00:21:03] Speaker C: I've actually never had Dubai chocolate. I just, I had TikTok. It's just so popular.
[00:21:08] Speaker A: Gotcha.
[00:21:09] Speaker B: Right now the bars. The bars are like $45 a piece even if I made them and like that just isn't the price point that I want to be at. So she'd never have to spend that much on chocolate. Yeah. And it's just for a trend. It's not because it's any more special than anything else that we're eating.
So I just don't. I try to not get into that, but do my version of the Trend.
[00:21:30] Speaker C: I'm okay with a whole bag of Hershey Kisses. Don't give me a bag of Hershey Kisses. Cause they'll be gone. Like I'm wild when it comes to chocolate.
[00:21:38] Speaker A: Yes. Except white chocolate, which we'll get to.
Does chocolate itself get a bad rap?
[00:21:48] Speaker B: Yes, well, and rightfully so. Because some chocolate involves child labor in environmental consequences and things like that.
And I think it's like every chocolatier's responsibility to source correctly, which I do.
So the chocolate that I use is called Guitard. Everybody's will like able to go look them up and see their fair practices and how they work with families and farms and all the things. But chocolate gets a bad rap because in other countries, children are used in the processing and not given what they deserve.
[00:22:27] Speaker A: So the bad rap, the sugar.
[00:22:31] Speaker B: Oh, sugar.
[00:22:32] Speaker A: The moms, the dentist that every kid's gone to an Ivy League school because of chocolate.
[00:22:38] Speaker C: That's worse candy.
[00:22:39] Speaker A: You know what I mean? Is that like, is it just moderation with like everything?
[00:22:44] Speaker B: Actually chocolate straight from my dentist is one of the better ones to have. Because if you're having like Sour Patch Kids or something that you're chewing on gummy, they stick into your teeth longer. Where chocolate, if you have a little drink of something, in my opinion, you should brush after any sweet or at least rinse. Like I have mouthwash in the back of my store. If I taste something, I go in the bathroom, I rinse my mouth. That way no cavities.
But chocolate sticks to your teeth less than other candies would. So it's actually. If you're worried about that sort of thing, it's better. In my non dentist opinion, by the.
[00:23:17] Speaker C: Way, dark chocolate is actually really healthy part of your diet.
[00:23:20] Speaker A: That's why I'm a huge certain percentage of dark chocolate.
[00:23:23] Speaker C: Yeah, that's why it's one of my favorite.
[00:23:24] Speaker B: In moderation.
[00:23:25] Speaker C: In moderation, yes.
Everything. Well, everything is good in moderation.
Yeah.
[00:23:31] Speaker A: The.
And I think we have all made this joke. We've all talked about this joke and I think we've talked to you about it too, is you taste everything and then you get the new employees in. And one of the things we're working, I know Shen's working on for the. For the fall food section is about an app for in a sense, day of food. Not day late, but day of food and things like that. That way it goes because you get that new employee and like, oh my God, I'm gonna work in a chocolate store. And they're gonna gom gom Gom all this chocolate and then all of a sudden it fizzles out, you know, is that true? And then what's it like for you because you're exposed to it? It's your life every day. So how do you balance not getting tired of it?
[00:24:22] Speaker B: I think I just limit my intake. So as somebody watching blood sugar and making sure I, as a candy store owner don't end up with diabetes, I sample very little. If I make something new, I'll try it. If, you know, we got like new Swedish gummies that I wanted to try. Like, we will open a bag and all taste it together. So, yeah, I mean, I just try to not graze for sure and just taste as needed.
Anybody that works for me is able to, but nobody has been glutton, gluttonous about it. Like, I encourage people to taste. If you're packaging salty pretzel bark, you should taste salty pretzel bark so you understand what it tastes like and such. So I encourage tasting. I don't encourage sitting down with a pound of chocolate and eating it to the face.
No shade. No shade.
[00:25:13] Speaker C: Shen.
I'm very 80. 20. In life, sometimes 20 is a pound of chocolate.
Sometimes it's a whole pie.
[00:25:22] Speaker B: We're in a judgment free zone. I. I mean, not Stan, apparently, but that was straight.
[00:25:27] Speaker C: That was straight like a chocolate.
[00:25:31] Speaker A: I was, I was. I've. I've enabled my podcast co host in.
[00:25:35] Speaker B: The past and I've seen you bring chocolates here from the store here.
[00:25:39] Speaker A: Well, somebody got.
[00:25:41] Speaker C: One time he brought a bag and it was gone that day.
[00:25:43] Speaker A: No, I'm talking about the cookie dough.
[00:25:45] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. He makes a cupcake that has a cookie dough on top of it. And I asked for just the cookie dough and he made a whole container and I ate it two days.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: It was a core. It was a core container.
[00:25:56] Speaker C: And then I did not feel well.
[00:25:58] Speaker A: And I begged her not to do.
[00:26:00] Speaker C: This, and I've learned my lessons, but.
[00:26:03] Speaker A: This is the first time she told me that she didn't feel well afterwards because I was petrified. Because, you know the infamous. If you overdo, then you never have it again.
[00:26:09] Speaker C: Well, why would I tell you?
[00:26:12] Speaker B: She's not gonna cut off her nose to spite her face. She needs to cook it.
[00:26:16] Speaker A: No, it's fine. It's fine. Just small one next time.
[00:26:19] Speaker C: Well, it's like when you would give me like leftover cupcakes and you give me like a six pack and I eat like four of them in like one sitting and. And it's like, shouldn't have done that.
[00:26:29] Speaker A: Shouldn't have to have all four.
[00:26:32] Speaker C: No. But sometimes, you know when you just have something so good and you, you rarely get it.
[00:26:37] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:37] Speaker C: And you're just like.
[00:26:38] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, they're better fresh. That's just logic.
[00:26:41] Speaker C: But I will say this, like I'm one of those people. Like, this is why I don't keep a lot of sweets more my house because I have a huge sweet tooth and I know how I am. Like, the sweetest thing I have in my apartment currently is granola bars. And I'm limiting myself to two before the gym. And that's it.
[00:26:58] Speaker B: There are zero sweets in my house. Yeah, I'm very good at work. I feel like at home it's a different story. And I will eat them.
[00:27:04] Speaker C: So they're just like your brain is like relaxed. You're like dinner or chocolate cake. You know what's going to be easier?
[00:27:14] Speaker A: Favorite season. Is it because we, we, we live the same life. I'm still, you know, 10% of my week in retail, probably out of sheer boredom because I do that. But we're supposed to enjoy the holidays. But for anyone who runs a business, works in a business that's retail oriented, that's serving the masses, it's the best time of year. It's the worst time of year. How were the holidays for you? Because it is your literal Black Friday, fourth quarter make or break.
[00:27:49] Speaker B: How's the holidays for you business wise?
Amazing. It's when I make most of my money for the year, starting basically in September. September, October, November, December are crazy.
We have a little break and then go right into Valentine's Day and Easter. So it's crazy, crazy busy. For me personally, I do nothing but shower, change, go to work, shower, change, go to work, shower, change, go to work for quite some time. And that is part of it.
I'm not sad or mad about that. That is just what it is.
My friends call it like, no, Heather, November, because can I go out for drinks?
[00:28:32] Speaker C: No.
[00:28:32] Speaker B: Can I join you for dinner?
[00:28:33] Speaker C: No.
[00:28:34] Speaker B: Like, I'm not gonna do anything fun. I'm just gonna work for a couple months and then I'll see everybody after that.
So that's just part of the beast of having a holiday.
Not holiday themed, but definitely a business that relies heavily on the holidays.
[00:28:53] Speaker A: Your.
We're kind of going backwards here. But I know this is definitely in Shen's wheelhouse here.
Your affinity for J Street.
Yeah, I mean, it's hard. I think it's hard for either one of us to think of J Street. And not think of Heather and Bittersweet and the J Street Marketplace. Because I think.
I don't think I'm wrong. I think we think of you as part of the lifeblood.
You're not every organ there, but you're a huge part. You're the big gear.
Did that.
You got your storefront, you got in.
I gotta pay the rent, I gotta make running. I gotta be able to spend money.
And then when did this kind of cooperative ownership happen for J Street with yourself and everybody else that you speak of all the time? Because you are such a source for us, for new businesses and changes and things coming in. So tents.
[00:30:01] Speaker B: Tents, yeah. I'm a local. Your tent dealer.
Just when I got there.
One of the notable things, I think you guys did a nice picture of us for Women's Month. I mean, mostly women owned businesses, which is really cool. Obviously there's men. We love them too. But it's just great to see so many women just working together.
I feel like there's this stereotype that women don't get along, and that's just not true.
I love all the women that are my neighbors and the men, and we just work together.
Nobody wants to be around bad energy.
If you've ever been to a restaurant where you can tell all the employees hate each other, you don't want to go to that restaurant. It's not fun, it's not good energy. So when you come onto J Street, I want the energy to be great. I want you to go to the Irish shop. And they're like, oh, do you have this? And she's like, no, but Heather does. And then somebody comes to me and they're like, do you have this? And I'm like, no, but Baron Bird has that. So we know that together we are going to win bigger than if we just did it by ourselves.
And that's just smart business and, like, good for your life and mental health too. Again, going back to, like, good working environments. J Street is essentially my office, right? So my store is where it is. But then I spend most of my life on J Street. So of course I want it to be a wonderful environment for me and for you. So I love it there.
[00:31:33] Speaker A: Are we seeing that energy? And we just ran a piece on.
On Sunday in the Daily Gazette talking about the Schenectady area in 25 years, where it's been, where it's going to, and things like that.
[00:31:44] Speaker C: Well, Thursday, but yes, Thursday.
[00:31:45] Speaker A: Sorry, we have. So the Sunday feature is just drilled.
[00:31:50] Speaker C: Sunday with Simone's and the pooling Also J Street.
[00:31:54] Speaker A: Great article.
[00:31:55] Speaker C: This year.
[00:31:55] Speaker B: This year. Killing it.
[00:31:56] Speaker C: Yeah. Yes.
[00:31:58] Speaker A: By our business editor.
[00:31:59] Speaker C: Thank you.
[00:32:00] Speaker A: The J Street.
Is that energy finally starting to blow out and get on this? You know, is it getting contagious? Is that what you want to see? Is that the perfect 100%.
[00:32:16] Speaker B: So to the point where J Street marketplace has a business association. I'm the president of that. There's the board, and we are the people that put the live music out and bring Santa to J Street and do a lot of, like, the local events.
We are changing our bylaws to include neighboring businesses that we feel like have good energy and want to be part of what we are doing and get that good J Street energy out. I gave you an example of hat pin peril that just opened. So it's right around the corner. It's not on J Street. It's on State street, but it's, I mean, 10ft away from Jay Street. And the owner wants to be a part of the J Street Business association and join in with us. Of course she's going to be allowed. And my friend Tony is opening Tony's wine bar, which is two streets away.
[00:33:08] Speaker C: We did a story on that. Yeah.
[00:33:09] Speaker B: Is it Barrett? I can't remember.
[00:33:11] Speaker C: I think it's Barrett.
[00:33:12] Speaker B: Yeah. So she's two streets away from us. If she wants to join when she's ready, of course we're going to allow her because we love that good energy. The people that own maxims are going into the old novel space.
They want to join. Let's go. Because we.
We want our whole area to have that Great. And we already do. Like, Mila's is friends with all of us backstage hunters on Jay. Like, we are a huge small business community that goes out of our way to work with each other constantly, and I think we're very lucky in that. But we also. It's more than luck because we actively work to make that happen.
[00:33:50] Speaker A: It sounds. It sound. We know it's great.
Our exposure. It's been great.
Was it always that easy? And if it was, did that surprise you?
[00:34:01] Speaker B: I think when I first got there, it was more of a challenge.
There are old crabapples in every group. Right.
And those people are just born to be grouches.
And then you just don't allow those people in your space. Right.
And not like physical space. I mean, emotional space. I just don't have time or energy in my room for people that aren't, like, giving their best and trying to make things better instead of complaining and being a dark cloud type of people.
So there was a little bit of that right when I first got there and I was like, well, this isn't who I am and this is not what I'm going to be a part of. And immediately things just started turning and I love that. And every new business that opens, every one of us just goes out of our way to reach out. Hey, do you need anything?
I spoke to Laura from Maxson's just the other day and I was like, if there's anything that you guys need, just come over, let me know. I can introduce you to the people that you need to talk to about these things or whatever. So I think we're just all trying really hard to see Schenectady rise up together, all of us.
[00:35:15] Speaker A: Are you going to ask the hard hitting question?
[00:35:18] Speaker B: Oh God, it's horrifying.
[00:35:20] Speaker C: Where is the hard hitting question?
Oh, I think it's this one.
[00:35:26] Speaker A: We discussed this. So it's not a surprise to you. But for the podcast, white chocolate, milk chocolate or dark chocolate in ruby chocolate? Because we had that whole conversation. So there's four. Dubai is a fad. So.
[00:35:39] Speaker C: Well, we're going with the three staples, right what ruby chocolate is. So we'll have that in a second.
[00:35:43] Speaker A: That might have been a pride. That might have been.
[00:35:44] Speaker B: Yeah, we had a side conversation about the ruby chocolate.
[00:35:47] Speaker C: You didn't talk about chocolate without me.
[00:35:49] Speaker B: We weren't there. I think you were talking to somebody else and I was.
[00:35:53] Speaker C: Okay, yeah. Okay.
[00:35:54] Speaker B: Yeah, it was, it was summer night. So there was a lot going on.
[00:35:57] Speaker C: Yes, there was.
At one point I gave a box to somebody to put a fake gun in. Anyway, that's a whole story.
[00:36:07] Speaker B: Not typical.
[00:36:08] Speaker A: It's when I have Shenan tell me your story. It'll be like, remember the time with the fake gun.
[00:36:13] Speaker C: I would have too many stories for. Tell me your story.
[00:36:16] Speaker A: Two part series.
[00:36:18] Speaker B: I don't know. I mean, so I love dark chocolate, but I love milk chocolate too. And I like white chocolate, so I'm not gonna love.
[00:36:27] Speaker C: So that's where. That's bottom tier. We know where it stands.
[00:36:31] Speaker B: But if they were just plain by themselves, I would pick dark. But like the white chocolate that I gave to you. Cause I know you hate white chocolate. Has cherries and pistachios in it. I will try and I feel like that combo is a very nice combo with the white chocolate.
[00:36:47] Speaker C: So that's the thing is white chocolate only work. It doesn't work by itself. It needs to complement something. Like I will have white chocolate and like a white, like a Red velvet white chocolate macadamia cookie. Yes.
[00:36:58] Speaker B: Those are good.
Those are good.
[00:37:01] Speaker C: I could go for like a whole patch right now. But like, and I like it in, in bark. Like you know when it has like the little peppermint flavor in it, you mix it with. Yeah. Like that's it needs help. Yes.
[00:37:13] Speaker B: So what I think you're saying, like now that I'm thinking about it, if I were, if there were three candy bars, just plain chocolate.
[00:37:20] Speaker C: Just plain chocolate.
[00:37:21] Speaker B: I would eat the dark one.
[00:37:22] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:23] Speaker B: And then the milk one. And I probably wouldn't eat a plain white. No candy bar. Cause I think it's too much for me.
[00:37:29] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:37:29] Speaker B: And I don't know why.
[00:37:30] Speaker C: That's my thing. Like I like and I don't like it where if it's like more, more than like 50% white chocolate. I also, it just, it needs to have like some other flavor combination in there that I guess makes the white chocolate not so heavy. Cause like dark chocolate is only heavy if you get up to like a certain percentage. I feel like then it gets to be a little much.
[00:37:52] Speaker B: I don't like those high percentages like baking chocolate. It's not my jam at all.
[00:37:56] Speaker C: Yeah. So like you get a nice like 70%. Like that's good. But that's not to say that dark chocolate too doesn't also need the help. Like you put dark chocolate with some orange.
[00:38:06] Speaker A: Oh heaven.
[00:38:08] Speaker B: Dark chocolate. That's France.
[00:38:09] Speaker A: That's her latest on the list. That's her latest on the list. Out of the kitchen.
[00:38:12] Speaker C: Oh, I'm all about that. We came up with that cupcake. It was going to be a chocolate base and it was going to have the little orange candy on it. I think we talked about this.
[00:38:20] Speaker A: I said it's on, it's on the menu.
I just haven't brought it in. So therefore to her it's not on the menu I have made it into. Until. Yes. Until.
Yeah. If the tree falls in the woods and you don't hear it. So for Shannon, she goes unless she's tasted it. Do you really make that? Are you sure you make that? I see it listed.
[00:38:38] Speaker C: But did you, but did you make it?
[00:38:41] Speaker A: Did you? I, I, I gotta judge it.
[00:38:43] Speaker C: I will say though my one of my favorites there. Cuz Stan knows to get this every single time. The coffee bar.
[00:38:50] Speaker A: Oh that's, that's the family br.
[00:38:52] Speaker C: Between the, the coffee. Coffee and toffee are my two. Like I don't know what it is.
[00:38:58] Speaker B: Coffee and chocolate are best friends. Like they, they want to be best Friends. Like, if you have a really dense, like, chocolate cake, there's probably a little coffee in it that you don't know about. Like just boosting that flavor. So coffee and chocolate are besties.
[00:39:11] Speaker C: That's what's in my coffee today. See, I got besties from Seven Brew, which has chocolate in it.
[00:39:18] Speaker B: Nice.
[00:39:19] Speaker A: And speaking of chocolate. Speaking of coffee and chocolate. That is my base. All of my chocolate cupcakes include coffee. See, to pull out the chocolate.
[00:39:28] Speaker B: Yeah, you have.
[00:39:28] Speaker C: I wonder why I like them so much.
[00:39:30] Speaker B: Yeah, it just brings out the flavor.
[00:39:31] Speaker A: They're great for kids, too.
I just take out the espresso.
All right, you ready for the tough question?
[00:39:38] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:39:38] Speaker A: We have one tough question.
[00:39:40] Speaker C: That wasn't a tough question.
[00:39:41] Speaker A: No. Oh, this was. This is shop talk. That was.
That was she.
[00:39:47] Speaker C: I don't know what that. Wait, what is Ruby? Chocolate. Real quick.
[00:39:50] Speaker A: Okay. Yeah.
[00:39:51] Speaker B: I don't really know the science behind it. I really think it's.
[00:39:53] Speaker C: Is it red?
[00:39:55] Speaker B: It's ruby.
[00:39:56] Speaker A: It's pinkish.
[00:39:58] Speaker B: It's dusty rose.
[00:39:59] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:40:00] Speaker C: I gotta try this.
[00:40:02] Speaker A: I think you would like it in very little amounts.
[00:40:05] Speaker B: It tastes very much like white chocolate to me.
[00:40:08] Speaker A: It's a sweet white chocolate.
[00:40:10] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:40:11] Speaker A: So, like, you could. But I think you could try it. I think you could try it. Okay, so before we get to the hard question, we watch television.
[00:40:20] Speaker C: Do we?
[00:40:21] Speaker A: We do. We do. I hope we do. If not, you're very intelligent because all you do is read.
Are you watching the food shows? And are you watching.
I want to say.
I can't remember his name, but the good looking French guy. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. For. I'm there for the chocolate. You're there for.
[00:40:40] Speaker B: No, no, I'm not there. He. He's way too pretty for me.
[00:40:43] Speaker A: But he's way too pretty and he knows it, which is one reason why I don't like him.
[00:40:49] Speaker B: But he's.
[00:40:49] Speaker A: If he looked like me and was.
[00:40:51] Speaker B: That microphone in chocolate.
[00:40:52] Speaker A: This is. So is that.
Have you thought about it or are you just.
[00:40:58] Speaker B: No, because that's.
[00:40:59] Speaker A: I'm here for the masses.
[00:41:00] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, listen, I went to art school. That's a sculpture. That's not. He's not making that because it tastes delicious. Does it taste delicious? Sure. But he's making like a piece of art, basically.
It's cool. It's fun to do. I don't really have time or need to do that. That's not my thing. Like if that was my only thing and I could stand in a window and do that and people watch me. Cool. I would do that, but it's not.
[00:41:25] Speaker C: It's like the butter sculpture at the fair. Like, it's cool to look at, but who cares?
Sorry, I'm not trying to put down the fair. I love the butter sculpture. I'm always amazed every year at their work.
[00:41:35] Speaker B: It's like, yeah, like the sand arts that they have at Silver Night. Like, it's cool, but then there's a backhoe that takes it away. Like.
[00:41:40] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. Like the butter, it goes to some organization and then they use it. It probably ends up in a frying pan. Like, but it was cool to look at for five seconds.
[00:41:50] Speaker B: Like the giant. There's like giant chocolate gorillas. Like, I go to trade shows and there's always some enormous creation. They're cool. They're very, very cool to see being made. But then what.
[00:42:03] Speaker C: I think the most chocolate sculpture I'm going to get isn't a bunny at Easter time. Hollow. I don't like the other kind.
[00:42:10] Speaker A: Oh, you like. You want the hollow.
[00:42:12] Speaker B: You're like one of the only people I've ever said that. They look solid.
[00:42:16] Speaker C: Yeah, No, I need. Unless it has peanut butter in it, then I'll have it.
[00:42:21] Speaker B: All right. I mean, super fair.
[00:42:23] Speaker C: Yeah. But otherwise, because they're just. It's like too much. I don't like that.
[00:42:29] Speaker A: The. So I'm the odd. I'm the odd man out on Easter because traditionally it's the peanut butter filled egg.
So I'm the odd man out because God bless my mother, she would search the variety of CVS's and Rite Aids and whatever drugstores. There were five in Dimes and I was the coconut filled egg.
[00:42:52] Speaker B: Oh, I love those. I should make those.
I love them.
[00:42:55] Speaker C: Put that on the list.
[00:42:56] Speaker B: It's on. It's already there. It's right there right now.
[00:42:59] Speaker A: So that was, that was always. I, I mean, she would. I would get the egg and be tickled and then I would hear the story of how many places she sent my father to in two different states because we lived on the border of Pennsylvania. Like, if. Did he get it in Scranton or Honesdale or Wilkes Barre or Carbondale or, you know, Masonic Temple, who knows where? But to get that darn coconut pumpkin.
[00:43:22] Speaker B: Coconut egg. I mean, you were in the. Basically the home of chocolate in the United States. So there's so much candy manufacturing that goes on in Pennsylvania just by proximity from Hershey's.
[00:43:34] Speaker A: Well, I was, I was going to.
[00:43:35] Speaker C: Say one of my life goals is to go there. I just want to go to Hershey Park.
[00:43:39] Speaker B: Yeah, I would like to go there, too. I don't.
[00:43:41] Speaker C: We should make a trip.
[00:43:41] Speaker B: Yeah, I know. Field trip.
[00:43:43] Speaker A: Road trip. Stand and chin on the road.
[00:43:45] Speaker C: We're on a road trip. Oh, I just want to go and I want to just. I want to.
[00:43:49] Speaker A: You can smell chocolate in the air.
[00:43:51] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:43:51] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:43:52] Speaker A: You can smell chocolate in what a.
[00:43:54] Speaker C: Day that would be.
[00:43:55] Speaker B: I like the giant peanut butter cup. Have you ever seen that? So that you can fill a peanut butter cup. They like cold stone. Like, fill a peanut butter. Fill the peanut butter with whatever you want and then put it in a giant peanut butter cup. It's like this big and very unlike hershey's. It's only $20.
[00:44:12] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:44:13] Speaker B: Normally they would really get you for that.
[00:44:16] Speaker C: We could save if they let us do a half and half.
[00:44:19] Speaker B: Oh, all right.
[00:44:20] Speaker C: Oh, we should ask about that. Like, double the flavor in one.
[00:44:26] Speaker A: What do you do at trade show? What's a chocolate trade show like? And what do you do there?
[00:44:31] Speaker B: It's glorious. It is like adult trick or treating.
Everybody that makes any candy that you've ever thought of in your life gathers in one convention center. Sometimes it's in Chicago, sometimes it's in Indiana. And you just walk from booth to booth. Like, if you're like, oh, I'm looking for a low sugar chocolate that doesn't use that, like, weird poison that none of us really like that much.
So I'll look around and try to find stuff like that. Or, you know, I usually go with a couple things on my mind or like, is there a cool Japanese candy that I want, but I want to see in person?
So basically, every candy manufacturer has a booth and you can go and they give you samples. I tend to take all the samples with me because the first year, my friend and I made the mistake of, like, eating a lot while we were there. And then, like, legit, my lunch had the straight jitters, and that's too much. So you.
[00:45:22] Speaker C: That would be me taking.
[00:45:23] Speaker B: Taking everything to go and, like, eating it over sometime is the way better to go. But you. You literally get a bag and just walk around and they're like, here, taste the newest slime liquor. Here, taste the newest rose chocolate. Taste the newest this. And you just get little samples of all the candy. And you get to talk to all the distributors and figure out if you can get them in upstate New York and where and how.
So it's cool and fun. And I. I try to go every year, but don't always make it every year.
[00:45:50] Speaker C: It sounds like heaven.
[00:45:51] Speaker B: It's really Cool. It's like one of the most fun things.
[00:45:55] Speaker C: Like, I want to just go.
[00:45:56] Speaker B: Just.
[00:45:56] Speaker C: Can I just go? Do I have to be off?
[00:45:59] Speaker B: Yeah, you have to show credentials type of thing, man. But I can bring a guess.
[00:46:06] Speaker C: Wow. We've already planned two trips.
[00:46:10] Speaker A: All right, tough question.
What's next for Heather Lund?
[00:46:15] Speaker B: Ugh, 20 more years. I don't know. The chocolate prices are wild.
I don't know. I think I'm just going to keep going.
I have ideas for a couple bigger things coming up, but they're not all figured out and put together.
I have a space on J Street that I like that's bigger and would allow me to have an open kitchen so people could watch me making the chocolate, which I think is a big deal.
I would still keep my space for something else to be discussed at a later date.
So a bigger space just because me being the face of my chocolate and every person that comes into my store wants to talk to me. And my kitchen is a mile back because my store is an iceberg. Basically the smallest part of it is up front.
So I'm usually in the back making candy and nobody gets to talk to me.
And I just think it's fun. Like when you go on vacation and you go buy Kilwins or even the cooler, like old fashioned places that, like, do the taffy. I love that. I love watching people make the thing that I'm about to purchase.
So what's next for me is finding hopefully the space I have in mind to. To be able to have an open kitchen and have people be able to watch me make the chocolate and talk to people about it and just include people. Like, be more interactive.
I would like to do some build your own bark nights where you guys could come and pick out all your favorite. Like, you're like, oh, I wish Heather made this one bark with all my favorite things in it.
So I want to.
[00:47:56] Speaker C: You should have it in. Make it a contest. And it's.
[00:47:59] Speaker A: Yeah, I'm glad we saved this for last because we just lost.
[00:48:01] Speaker B: I know she's already imagining all of her different things.
[00:48:05] Speaker C: I got flavor combinations going, but.
[00:48:07] Speaker B: But, yeah, I want to be able to include people more. That was kind of always part of the original plan, but I opened into Covid, so immediately that was dashed. I was like, well, people aren't going into the kitchen.
So that was over. But now moving forward, I have this setup where I'm able to do that at a smaller scale and maybe soon on a larger scale. So that's what's Next, Hopefully.
[00:48:30] Speaker C: Can I just sauce an idea out there?
[00:48:32] Speaker B: For sure. Let's hear it.
[00:48:34] Speaker C: A bacon potato chip.
[00:48:36] Speaker B: Oh, did it. You did.
[00:48:38] Speaker C: Oh, my God.
[00:48:39] Speaker B: Tater trot. We did it for one of the tater tries.
[00:48:41] Speaker C: It had bacon in it.
[00:48:41] Speaker B: Yes. And I did vegan bacon, which was wild.
But that was the tater trot that got kind of, like, moved. And it was very hot that day. So the chocolate was looking a little like, go gurt by the end of the day.
But, yeah, bacon and potato chip chocolate is as good as you think it is. I'll get some on the shelves at some point.
[00:49:04] Speaker C: Okay, let me know. Yeah, I'll be down.
[00:49:07] Speaker B: And that also with peanut butter.
[00:49:09] Speaker C: Ooh.
Ooh. Like, if you get, like, a layer. Not even, like, drizzle.
[00:49:14] Speaker B: Like a.
[00:49:15] Speaker C: Like a peanut butter layer and a chocolate layer in those two together, where those two.
[00:49:20] Speaker B: Oh, I've never made a woman so happy.
[00:49:26] Speaker A: I never will.
[00:49:29] Speaker C: Don't tell me that doesn't sound phenomenal when you're doing your Reese's Cups. Like, that's an idea right there.
[00:49:35] Speaker B: Oh, that's on my list. That's already on my list. I want to do peanut butter pretzel, peanut butter potato chip. Reese's. Like, all cups with all the things caramel.
[00:49:45] Speaker C: Like a. Almost like a garbage plate cup.
[00:49:47] Speaker B: I'm doing a garbage plate bark. That's on my list.
[00:49:51] Speaker C: Like, we're two peas in a pod right now. I'm so excited. I gotta come back for the peppermint bar. That's, like, one of my favorite candies. I'm like, if you. If I see, like, those.
Who makes them Caradelli, when they make their, like, the squares.
That's, like, the number one. Like, Shannon, what do you want for Christmas? Socks and that? Like, the. You don't got to give me anything else.
[00:50:14] Speaker B: You have to get my peppermint bark. You're. You love it.
[00:50:17] Speaker A: If you, like, just send it to me.
[00:50:20] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:50:21] Speaker A: I'm the one who usually does the shopping in this podcast relationship, so this has been an absolute pleasure to have my regular co host on as part of this extended podcast where we talk to very important people and. And get a chance to find out more about them.
[00:50:41] Speaker C: So you missed something regular and favorite, but.
[00:50:48] Speaker A: We put a pin in favorite. The.
[00:50:52] Speaker B: I did bring chocolate today, so.
[00:50:54] Speaker A: Yes. So that's why.
[00:50:55] Speaker C: Well, you're a favorite guest. Yes.
[00:50:57] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:50:58] Speaker B: So it's.
[00:50:58] Speaker A: Don't let Maureen know. But.
[00:51:00] Speaker B: Sorry, Rich.
[00:51:01] Speaker A: Yeah, sorry, Jason.
[00:51:03] Speaker C: He did give us the fami pack that's going to actually. Which is nice. Which I can use to hold my chocolate over the side.
[00:51:12] Speaker A: Over the side. Be trendy.
So thank you so much for coming and congratulations on 20 years.
[00:51:17] Speaker B: Thank you, guys. I'll see you at the party.
[00:51:19] Speaker A: And wait, what is the party?
[00:51:21] Speaker C: I need to know.
[00:51:22] Speaker B: It's September.
Oh, my God. Is it sixth or seventh? It's a Sunday.
[00:51:26] Speaker A: It's a Sunday.
[00:51:27] Speaker B: I don't know.
[00:51:27] Speaker C: Oh, if it's the seventh, that's my grandma's birthday. What a great way to spend that if I can't make it home.
Grandma, what'd you. What'd you do for your birthday?
[00:51:33] Speaker A: I bought chocolate for you. And then I ate it.
[00:51:35] Speaker C: And then I ate it.
[00:51:36] Speaker B: It'll be on. There'll be an invitation.
[00:51:38] Speaker A: It'll be there. Thank you so much.
[00:51:40] Speaker B: Thank you, guys.
[00:51:41] Speaker C: I loved it.
[00:51:41] Speaker B: It was so fun.
