“Sweets Handmade Candies first opened in 1993 in downtown Truckee, California by Owner Becky Cavender and my dad, Preston Lillo. The second store opened in Reno, Nevada about five years later. Since the beginning, all of our candy has been handmade using only top quality ingredients and the world’s finest Belgian chocolate. Several of our thoughtfully created confections have won awards at candy competitions, such as Fantasies in Chocolate, which we won every year for the seven years we competed.
Growing up, I went to work at Sweets in Truckee with my dad and worked behind the scenes making waffle cones and cleaning A LOT. When I got my driver’s license I took off to work in mainstream retail. I learned so much about customer service and achieved my first management position when I turned 20. The chaos of mall retail took it’s toll on me and I started working for Sweets almost 5 years ago when my dad offered me the position of sole cook at the Sweets in Truckee. I loved everything about my job: hanging out with my dad every day, cooking gourmet candy, and always having happy satisfied customers. I’ve always enjoyed working with customers one on one, it makes for a more personable experience.
About 3 years ago, I transferred to the Reno location and worked my way up to management. It is an entirely different experience because Reno is where the bulk of our production takes place. Last January, I was invited to a Le Tip meeting by Clint Derocher (our current Chapter’s President), of Farmer’s Insurance, after dropping off a candy sample and Christmas gift portfolio to his office. I have been in Le Tip ever since. In my free time, when I’m not harassing business owners about their current networking interests, I spend time with my husband and our two crazy adorable dogs, Troy-Drogo and Aspen. I also love crafting with silk flowers and all things creative. A great bonus to working at Sweets is that it allows everyone to channel into their creativity to invent new products and inspire current recipes. At Sweets Handmade Candies, we are a family of unique individuals who help make the world a sweeter place!”
-Niki Havlick, Store Manager
Sweets Handmade Candies
775 827-8270
www.sweetshandmadecandies.com
