Business: Drizzle ‘N’ Dip
Address: 6235 S. Main St. Unit 107, Aurora
dzܰ:10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Founded:2016
Contact: 720-251-8527, drizzlendip.com, @drizzle_n_dip
Employees: 4
Interview with Michael Sandhoff, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I have always had a passion and love for food, especially when I was the one creating the dish. I already owned a Savory Spice franchise in the Southlands Shopping Center and received daily requests for extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, so I looked into some other concepts and thought, ‘Why not step out and create a new store?’ Ultimately, my wife and I settled on Drizzle ‘N’ Dip and put it a couple of doors down the street from Savory Spice.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: Drizzle ‘N’ Dip is an extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar store specializing in bringing an experience to the customer. Upon entering the store, everyone is greeted with a selection of more than 55 different olive oils and balsamic vinegar that they can taste with freshly baked bread pieces daily. Along with the olive oil and vinegar, we also have various wine vinegar, handmade Italian pasta, stuffed olives, and specialty oils from toasted sesame oil to walnut oil. We want our customers to know that they are getting the best olive oils and vinegar prior to buying, so tasting is very important to us. Along with tasting, all of my team members love to cook and bring their experiences from home and share it with each customer.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I really enjoy being a part of the community and bringing specialty foods to the area that you typically have to drive downtown to find. I love talking about food and new ways to put a spin on your typical dishes. With the heat of the summer, I have really enjoyed making ice cream with olive oil and even trying it with some infused oils like blood orange or vanilla bean.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: The biggest challenge I face is in the supply chain and finding reliable sources. The olive oil industry has seen a great deal of publicity lately regarding its authenticity, and I have had to find distributors that are trusted. All of the oils that we stock are audited by independent third parties once they arrive in the U.S. to ensure quality and authenticity.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: Outside of business I love to hangout with my wife and three young kids. We love to travel and see different parts of the country. Travel was one of my first interests when going to college, so I received my degree in hotel administration thinking it would allow me to see the world.