Lola Salazar has one sweet life.
Sure, her nickname is “Sugar,” and the first album she owned was “Sugar Sugar,” by The Archies.
But the real reason this Denver native and former schoolteacher is in the honey is that the only thing Salazar, 47, may know better than candy is business.
Since opening Lola’s Sugar Rush, an almost 2-year-old Littleton shop specializing in treats from the 1940s through the ’70s, the store has become a destination for candy and design lovers alike. Some customers are so stuck on the shop that they seek it out for family and holiday photo shoots.
Salazar recently shared some of her insights with an eye toward treating someone sweet for Valentine’s Day.
What was your vision for the shop?
I wanted it to be someplace where as soon as people walked in, it took them back in time. It had to have a nostalgic but classy feel. I wanted it to be different than a mall candy store.
I traveled and visited a lot of different candy shops to figure out what I wanted and what I didn’t want. So I knew I wanted everything to be in glass jars and that I didn’t want there to be scoops where people serve themselves.
My main colors are strawberry pink, chocolate brown and vanilla. I also wanted it to be elegant; to me that meant chandeliers.
What’s the allure of old-fashioned candy?
Retro candy takes people back to happier, simpler times. So many people come in and say, “Oh my gosh, I remember this!” when they see McCraw’s Taffy or Mallo Cups or Bit-O-Honey or the Curly Wurly, which is a Marathon Bar.
Some people will see our candy lipstick and say, “I used to play with this.” Other people come in and say they remember a certain candy from their grandma’s house. That’s what’s so fun, hearing all these memories.
What tips can you offer for selecting Valentine’s Day sweets?
If your sweetheart is allergic to flowers, consider chocolate flowers. And if you’re single, we’ve got chocolate men. They’re Belgian, they’re solid and they’re rich!
Of course, there are all the favorites — the boxed chocolates and the conversation hearts. But we carry Necco’s Sweethearts Conversation Hearts. These are the originals. They are kind of chalky, but some people want the same kind they had when they were growing up.
Elana Ashanti Jefferson: 303-954-1957 or ejefferson@denverpost.com
More Info
. Lola’s Sugar Rush is at 2490 W. Main St., Littleton
