Island Treats will continue after the store closes
The last day of the deal is August 30th.
Ann Peterson grabs pretzel things from a tray, carefully wraps them individually in blue foil, looks up and smiles.
The owner of Island Treats explains that the popular candy also contains caramel and chocolate, and that an abundance of the treats – which she also wraps in green foil – will be served in a suite at Lumen Field at the Seattle Seahawks’ opening game on Sept. 8.
A little more than a week before that football game, Island Treats will close its store on August 30. Peterson opened the bright and cheerful shop – which includes the Candy Kitchen in the back where the treats are made – six and a half years ago in the Boyd Building on Southeast 27th Street.
Peterson and her team of pastry chefs will continue to roam her candy aisle to provide treats to her loyal customers. She said her daughter and business partner Maddie Scileppi calls the store closing a “new era” of Island Treats in honor of Taylor Swift.
Business is going well, they are just making a change in the way they run Island Treats.
“We’re looking for a work-life balance,” Peterson said. “We still want to make candy, and we can make the candy that everyone loves. But we can still spend more time with our families and friends and just make it a little easier on ourselves. Instead of having a store that’s open six days a week.”
Four years before opening the store, Peterson ran the business out of their converted garage, which was equipped with a commercial kitchen – and that’s where they’ll return to continue delivering candy to customers through online sales. Candy lovers can still purchase their favorite candies at Island Books.
They will continue to make pretzel things, and if they don’t, Peterson joked, “there would be a riot.”
Among other specialties such as salted chocolate caramels, caramallows, Super S’more! and toffee, they have experimented with Awesome Sauce in caramel and chocolate, passion fruit and mango guava, as well as filled chocolate bars with nougat, marshmallow, caramel and gianduja, an Italian soft dessert made from chocolate and hazelnuts. Starting next year, they will offer subscription boxes.
“We can still be creative. We can still make the candy that people love,” Peterson said, adding that they are in the process of renewing their wholesale and e-commerce license and plan to have the Candy Garage kitchen up and running in early October.
In addition to Island Treats’ sweet offerings, countless traditions will continue. The gumball machine and mailbox for letters to Santa will be brought to Island Books and the company will continue to be involved in the Chamber of Commerce and community activities.
Scileppi is excited to see where Island Treats will go next.
“I have a toddler. She’s 18 months old. And that was a big reason for me to decide to be able to spend more time with her so we can make treats during naps or let her participate more,” she said.
Employee Jodi McCarthy has been with Island Treats since its inception and will stay on board along with Peterson, Scileppi and possibly a high school student and additional helpers during the holiday season.
Mother and daughter said customers are sad about the store closing, but can still buy and enjoy candy – just in a different way.
“I think we’re all so excited about the next phase because it gives us freedom. Freedom of time, freedom of creativity, not being tied to store hours,” Peterson said, adding that the company delivers nationwide, fulfills corporate orders, wedding gifts and more.
Visit Island Treats online at: https://www.islandtreatsnw.com/
