Zweets satiates Eagle Rock’s sweet tooth with rare candies

48

Author: Manna Selassie

The Zweets Station on the corner of Eagle Rock Boulevard and Westdale Avenue transports its guests into a wonderland of vibrant colors and abundance. Carbonated beverages from all over the world and vintage American sweets cover the walls. The store sells hundreds of different candies, from jelly beans to salt water taffy to chocolate. The plethora of candies and the new addition of a boba shop make Zweets every sweet tooth’s dream.

Giovanna Bettoli

Unlike many specialty shops, sweets shops attract a large variety of customers.

We get lots of different people from babies to the old, different nationalities. Its mostly children on the candy side and adults on the root beer. And then theres no particular age for the boba,” said Denise Alejo, Zweets’ co-owner.

Alejo and her husband continue to marvel at the diversity of their customers.

A person may come from Michigan, and he grew up seeing Faygo [root beer brand], and theyll see that here, and itll bring back memories,” Alejo said. “Maybe someone is looking for that Japanese drink that has a ball inside. Some people want something from the new generation like Sprecher [root beer brand]. Some want the old fashioned Dr. Pepper or something from Germany like the Bundaberg.”

Although Zweets is reminiscent of other independent grocers such as Galcos on York Boulevard, they focus exclusively on sugary food. The Alejo family has lived in the area for more than 30 years and saw an opportunity for a new kind of sweet shop. Zweets opened two years ago, the result of years of planning and crunching finances.

Alejo believes that Zweets will bring together generations within her family.

I opened a candy shop because I thought it was fun and something I could teach my children. Someday they might want to continue to do this, and its something thats not around here,” Alejo said.

These Los Angeles natives also have roots in the Philippines.

I was born in the Philippines and came here when I was 18 years old. I could bring candy from the Philippines but there are so many stores like that, and people around here are looking for vintage candies,” Alejo said.

Giovanna Bettoli
Giovanna Bettoli

Zweets is not only a candy store but also a locus for community engagement. With a promise of 10 percent off for all Occidental students, Zweets has shown interest in getting into the Occidental bubble. This Friday,Zweets will be hosting a fundraiser for relief aid in the Philippines after typhoons Haiyan and Yolanda ravaged coastal areas. 100 percent of the evening’s profits will be given to the people in need. Recipients will be reached via the Ateneo de Manila University Class of ’72.

The Zweets staff will also be collecting relief goods such as blankets, clothing and canned goods, which they will put into Balik Bayan boxes.

Balik Bayan literally means returning to your country. Bayan means the town, the country, the city, the home place. Balik means return so its like returning to my country. Balik Bayan is like an adjective for the box. A lot of Philipinos send these boxes to our families and its really convenient because the weight doesnt matter...We will take care of the freight fee and try to send as much as we can,Alejo said.

Zweets is a family business and magical little store that will satisfy a range of tastes. Alejo warmly invites the Occidental community to indulge their holiday sweet tooth at the local shop.

I want to invite everyone to try our root beers, shakes and root beer shakes. Of course, everyone should try our newest baby, the boba. Theyll like it, Alejo said.

This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.

Loading

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here