Interview with Tina Rudig, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I originally got involved because of my love of decorating cakes. As I had the opportunity to learn more about pastries from our master chef, my passion grew. And, quite honestly, is it me or do most Italians love to cook? (Or at very least, love to eat.) We don’t just eat to live, we live to eat.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: I believe it’s a combination of things. We are more like an original mom-and-pop business. We are family-owned and primarily family-operated. All of our recipes are made from scratch, including our amazing European pastries and cookies. We make it all. Everything from our famous cannolis, New York-style thin crust pizza, meatball sandwiches and chicken piccata is made in house. There’s also the occasional hollering or singing in the kitchen in Italian. We keep it authentic.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: Full tummies and happy customers. Sometimes, the little things in life, like a rainbow cookie just like grandma used to make, can make your whole day. Even on the rare occasion that our customers say they don’t have room for dessert, I take it as a compliment. Although they are usually still tempted to take something home, I feel as though we’ve provided them with something bellisimo to eat, and they are fully satisfied. That makes us happy at Wholly Cannoli.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Our biggest challenge (and blessing) has been to keep up with the demand. We have expanded once, and we are looking at future plans for more growth. It’s all about timing. We have been very blessed in our business thus far. We want to continue to create amazing food and pastries while upholding great customer service.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: We opened a week before Christmas in 2010 as just a small walk-up café with only about 15 seats. We produced quite an extensive menu and a whole lot of pastry out of a very small kitchen. It was somewhat of a questionable time to be opening a business, with many restaurants in the Denver area closing or struggling. Within 2 ½ years, we expanded into the space next to us and have been open as a full-service restaurant for almost 1 ½ years now. We certainly have been blessed to have a thriving little place and appreciate all of those who have been such a wonderful support.
Profile
Business: Wholly Cannoli Café
Address: 22691 Aurora Parkway
Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Founded: 2010
Contact: 303-400-4110,
Employees: 20
