BETHEL – Life is sweet for Robert Herzog, his wife, Melissa, and their partner Alyssa Sferrazza. And they have a business whose name literally reflects that.
They are the new owners of a new boutique in downtown Bethel called The Sweet Paperie, located in a small white cottage on 123 Greenwood Ave.
“We are happy to have a store like this that our neighbors, friends, and customers can visit to buy a gift for any occasion, re-decorate a shelf in their home, or simply say hello,” Robert Herzog said. “It fills our hearts with so much joy. I love Bethel. The community was so welcoming when we moved from New York. The downtown area is charming, quaint, and exactly what a small town is all about, from the neighboring retail shops to amazing restaurants and more.”
The name of the 515-square-foot store reflects its charming ambiance.
“The name was inspired to bring ‘sweetness’ to one’s life with our collections of gifts,” Herzog said. “We wanted to give our customers a place to step away from outside noise, relax with soft music, and enjoy the fragrant smell of our hand-poured candles.”
Shelves and tables are filled with a carefully curated selection of home décor items ranging from glassware, pictures, vases, Turkish towels, and one-of-a-kind candles to dried floral bouquets, wreaths, jewelry, children’s clothing, toys, and self- care essentials such as soaps, bath oil, and lotions.
Food products include sweet treats, baking mixes, chocolate, locally-made honey and tea, condiments, olive oil, hot sauce, and more. In addition, in honor of the store’s name, it carries a variety of stationery items, including custom invitations and cards, notepads, journals, and other related paper products.
“We’re constantly changing product and inventory so there’s always something new to look at,” said Herzog, who is no stranger to the retail industry. “I have worked in retail all my life starting with Ralph Lauren and 22+ years as a sales consultant and floral designer for Pedestals Floral Decorators, a prestigious floral decorating company.”
His wife currently works in the Bethel school system as a paraprofessional and Sferrazza is a former teacher and educator. “I think we all inspired one another to open the business with our knowledge, creativity, and passion for giving back to the community,” he said.
According to Janice Chrzescijanek, Bethel’s director of economic development, The Sweet Paperie is a great addition to Bethel.
“It brings a unique, creative retail experience to our downtown. Independent specialty shops like this add character to Greenwood Avenue and give residents and visitors a reason to shop locally and spend time in town,” she said. “We hope The Sweet Paperie is successful for its owners and contributes positively to the local economy through increased foot traffic, job creation, and downtown vitality.”
For the owners, an important aspect of the shop is carrying items made by local artisans. Some of the items include decoupage oyster and clam shells, handmade wood products, jewelry, wild horse and burro photographs, and more. “We appreciate supporting local artists who give back to the community with their amazing talent. Each artist product is unique and one-of-a-kind,” he said. “I see the Bethel community and surrounding towns supporting local.”
Herzog is looking forward to a successful future.
“Each day we’re thinking of ways to improve and add to the business, whether it’s product related or customer satisfaction,” Herzog said. “We’re staying true to ourselves, working hard each day, and sharing our designs along with hand-selected items with our clients daily.
“We hope to grow our business building a brand, expanding, and creating long lasting relationships within our community and beyond. It’s the endless possibilities, to be creative, to put a smile on one’s face, and to share our amazing products with everyone.”
