SOUTHINGTON — A new bakery featured on Netflix has expanded into Southington and received a warm welcome from customers.
“The community support in this area has been amazing,” manager Peter Paganoni said.
Hardcore Sweet Bakery opened on Thursday in Factory Square, 168 Center St. For the first two hours, Paganoni said he was busy restocking cupcakes, cake pops and specialty cakes that customers had come in to try.
Customers looking for Halloween treats can find a variety of themed cakes, cake pops and dessert bars.
Since opening the Watertown location in 2013, owners Jeremy and Nicole Braddock have been featured on Food Network shows such as “Winner Cake All” and “Cupcake Wars,” winning the latter. Most recently, they competed on the Netflix show “Sugar Rush,” which aired last year.
“People see the signs on the wall and come in to see what we’re all about and what we have,” Paganoni said.
Customers can walk in and choose desserts that are ready to sell or request specialty treats for birthdays, weddings and parties. They also offer vegan and gluten-free options.
Kristen Mengher, 23, and Stien Kountur, 24, were in Factory Square grabbing coffee when they noticed other customers leaving with their treats and decided to stop by.
“This place is awesome,” Mengher said. “What they do here is really cool, so it’s great to have them here.”
Kountur said she was considering the specialty pumpkin cake, but she and Mengher ended up trying chocolate cupcakes.
On the first day, Natalie Noll, baker and cake decorator, said she had already seen customers that frequent the Watertown location along with new customers.
Marsha Penna and Farrah Fontano, co-owners of Extreme Karate, also inside Factory Square, were excited to see the new bakery.
“They have amazing gluten-free products,” Penna said.
“When a new business opens in the area, we like to show support for each other, that’s really important.”
Hardcore Sweet Bakery is open Sunday 9 a.m.to 3 p.m., Monday-Wednesday 10 a.m.to 6 p.m. and Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Instagram @hardcoresweet and Twitter @hardcoresweetCT. On the web at www.hardcoresweetbakery.com. Phone 860-791-2111.
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