Sweet Treasures
2278 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors FL 33305
954-900-3867
There’s a secret hidden among the Reese’s Pieces and salted pistachio nuts at Sweet Treasures, the new candy, gift and card store in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors. A visit to this emporium of all things chocolate and tasty is a thrill ride of discovery. In one display case is statuary by Tascano, small and erotic copies of famous Greek statues; wine caddies designed like high-heel pumps; hard to find same-sex greeting cards (yes, they’ve got standard greeting cards as well), plus the largest stock of bulk candy in Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale. (Forget being forced into buying what someone else has decided is the correct quantity for you. You may buy one Pecan Patty or ten pounds.)
Sweet Treasures is the baby of Frank Latella and Daniel Mimnagh, life-partners for a decade and linked at the hip in their new venture, which was Dan’s idea. “I came up with the idea of opening a bulk candy store,” he says. “I spent years working with Nassau Candy,” one of the largest specialty confectionery and gourmet food suppliers in the U.S. “I wanted to open my own store, and spoke with a friend who has a candy store in Delray Beach who encouraged me to go for my dream.”
Frank’s background was in the banking industry when he met Dan on line in a social networking site. Their first phone conversation lasted so long that both men drained the batteries on their cell phones. “It wasn’t love at first sight,” add Frank, who was courted by Dan for weeks before the match turned into a relationship. It was coincidence that the mortgage industry collapsed, leaving Frank without a job, at the same time that Dan became more serious with his dream of opening a candy store that would spread the joy he felt when savoring a piece of chocolate.
“We wanted to open in Wilton Manors because it didn’t have any store which carried bulk candy—so it was a fresh new idea. We added greeting cards, and gift items to increase our selection,” added Dan. “And we found an empty store in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, right in the heart of a place we enjoy ourselves.”
Laughing, Frank said, “We came to Wilton Manors because of its large gay community and discovered it was a mixed blessing. Much to our surprise, we did not get much in the way of a gay customer base. What we got was every gay organization asking for donations and gift baskets for fund raisers.”
“It hurts,” said Dan, “that the community isn’t more aware of how selfish it has become. If you don’t support businesses that are here and eager to grow, you’re not going to get their support in return. That’s what we are finding ourselves right now.”
“We wanted a nice big space so we have room to grow,” according to Frank. And every day there seems to be new gift items and same-sex cards being added to their amazing assortment of candies.
Secret Treasures has a full assortment of Asher Candies, “the official chocolate of everyday life.” The chocolate covered potato chips are a treat unto themselves. So too are the dark chocolate orange peels, cashew caramel patties, milk chocolate raisin clusters, cherry cordials and jumbo marshmallows with pecans.
The Sweet Treasures secret? Frank and Dan are in love. When you visit them in their shop, tell them the Florida Agenda told you so.
