You should probably know something about me: I have a big sweet tooth. I love sugary treats like candy, ice cream, cookies, and cakes. It stands to reason then that I love sweet shops, especially the old-fashioned kind with displays of hand-dipped chocolates, bins of bulk gummies, shelves of packaged novelties, and a freezer full of rich flavored ice creams. Whenever I pass a place like this my sugar sense starts tingling. That’s exactly what happened when I first saw Sweet Memories Confectionery in Millbrae out the bus window on my transit trip down El Camino Real last year. I saw that big pink-and-white sign, my heart skipped a beat, and I knew I was going to be back.
It took a few months but I finally got my chance. On Saturday, December 11, 2010 Sweet Memories celebrated their first anniversary. It was not a hard sell to convince my family to make the trip up to check it out. I had them at “ice cream.” As it so happened that was the same day of the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, not at all far from Millbrae. We had two excellent reasons to head deep into San Mateo County, so off we went.
Sweet Confections put a flyer and coupon up on their Facebook page which I printed out. We drove up and easily found the spot at 1395 El Camino Real. I’m still learning the ropes of this blogging gig and one thing I always have trouble with is interviewing people at the places I visit. How do I introduce myself? What probing and insightful questions can I ask? How do I get these folks to take time from their busy day to answer my questions, especially the ones that fall short of being probing and insightful? All these anxieties were gripping my mind as I approached the woman behind the counter at Sweet Memories, but happily I needn’t have worried because the woman was Elsie.
Elsie is a delightful lady with a warm smile and chatty disposition. I think I got as far as saying, “hello,” then off she went, giving me a rundown on the anniversary celebration, the variety of treats available, and the history of the business. I told you it was their first anniversary, but as Elsie explained to me, that’s not the whole story. The sweet shop has been at that location for 78 years and is a Millbrae institution. It began as Shaw’s, then changed names to Sweet Charlotte, then Charlotte Confections, then West Coast Confections. In 2009 it changed owners and changed its name again to Sweet Memories, hence the one-year anniversary. This also explains the big “Shaws Plaza” sign out front, an immutable reference to the original business. Elsie herself has been there for fourteen years. As generous as she was with her information, bless her heart she was too shy to let me take her picture. The best visual I can offer you is this one. You get the idea. Pun fully intended, she’s a real sweetheart.
The earlier incarnations of the business used to make candy on premises but currently they do not, instead retailing premium treats from vendors local and away. Examples include Jelly Bellies from Fairfield, fudge from Z. Cioccolato in San Francisco, and gorgeous jewel-toned ribbon candy from Hammond’s in Denver.
The big draw of the anniversary celebration was $2 single-scoop sundaes. We each had one. Elsie served me mine with peppermint stick ice cream covered with hot fudge. And whipped cream. And a cherry. Heaven. Afterwards we lingered, tasting various fudges and picking out some holiday gifts for friends and family and (forgive us) a little something for ourselves.
Sweet Memories is a happy place, bright and shiny with tables laid out in front of big floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s a perfect spot for kids from Capuchino High School around the corner to congregate, or for generations of Millbraeners to bring their kids just like their parents brought them, or for anybody to just sit and destress and watch El Camino roll by. Sweet Memories offers free wi-fi too so it’s even great for bloggers. Especially bloggers with a sweet tooth.
Thanks for the sweet review! Elsie is a treasure, isn’t she? Hope you (and your readers) come again soon!