“He’s had his home bakery license for several years, but never did anything with it,” Lori Zastrow said. “He makes things and gives them away because I don’t want to eat it all.”
Lori, a retired school teacher, and Greg, a retired corporate project manager, were contemplating something they both could do when someone mentioned Thrive at Market Square, a business incubator program that offers short-team leases on the first floor of the historic building, which is owned by the city.
“We thought, ‘Why not? Let’s take the two things that we both love to do, and see what we can do with it,’ and that’s how it was birthed,” Zastrow said.
The city’s Thrive program provided Love Fudge & Pottery mentoring through the Small Business Development Center and “the opportunity to not sink a whole lot of money into a facility,” she said.
Fudge at the new shop is available in 4-ounce and 8-ounce blocks. Flavors include Amaretto Chocolate Swirl, Butter Pecan, Caramel Chocolate Peanut, Chewy Praline, Chocolate, Chocolate Walnut, Cookies ‘N Cream, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Chocolate and Strawberry Cheesecake. Holiday flavors will soon be available, Zastrow said.
Pottery at the new business includes “very functional pieces” like yarn bowls, coffee mugs, flower vases, ornaments and shaving mugs.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Zastrow said she and her husband are referring to the store as “an experiment.”
“We’ll see how it goes, but ideally (we want) to open our own brick-and-mortar in Miamisburg,” she said.
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