The 925TEN is a new feature on Claycord.com to help you get to know the locally owned businesses around the 925 area code.
We’ll ask the business owner TEN questions about their business (and a few other things), and they’ll give us their best answers.
All answers will be unedited, and you don’t have to be an advertiser on Claycord.com to participate.
The only requirement is that the owner of the business lives locally, within the 925 area code (or Contra Costa County).
If you’d like you and your business to be featured in this column, please email news@claycord.com with the name of your business and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Our second locally owned business to be featured is Alpine Pastry & Cakes in Concord, which is located on Willow Pass Rd. in Concord.
Take it away, Alpine….
Business Name: Alpine Pastry & Cakes
Business Location: 1848 Willow Pass Road, Concord
Business Hours: 9AM-5PM seven days a week. Special hours on holidays
Business Phone Number: 925 689 7220
Website: www.alpinepastry.com –> currently under construction
1. Tell us about your business in five sentences or less.
We are a classic retail bakery and pastry shop and our customers expect a freshly baked product that has been produced on site with great care and the best of ingredients. We pride ourselves in providing professional and well trained staff to assist you when you visit our store as well as a very well trained baking and cake decorating crew. You can always count on us to have our showcases full of irresistible desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.
2. How long has your business been open?
Alpine Pastry & Cakes was established in the mid 1960s under the name of Cake Master. It was sold shortly thereafter to the previous owner and operated under the name of Alpine Pastry & Coffee shop. We purchased Alpine Pastry in 1995 and continue to do business as Alpine pastry & Cakes.
3. What is the thing you like most about your business?
Returning customers. Having someone tell me that their parents brought them to Alpine since they were little and now they are bringing their own children. We participate in almost all the minor and major holidays and celebrations throughout the year such as Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and so on. This approach keeps us very busy and brings some variety into our baking routine. The smell of freshly baked cookies and other delicacies is truly hard to overlook when describing what we like about our bakery business.
4. How many hours per week do you dedicate to your business?
Sixty plus hours is not unusual for each of us. Not all of it is spent in the production department but an ever increasing chunk of time is required to keep up new rules and government mandates
5. What keeps you passionate about your business?
While pleasing customers is certainly at the top of our list, we are passionate about teaching and training new talent. This has always been a part of our business to ensure that a new generation of bakers and decorators will get the opportunity to do what we have done. Teaching is a most gratifying endeavor, watching our bakers, decorators, and sales staff develop their skills and attain recognition and higher wages as a result of their efforts. The motto is simple: We do not succeed unless our employees succeed.
6. What experience did you have before opening/taking over the business?
We both were trained and certified in Switzerland. Our combined pastry-journey brought us to many places, including London, Canada, Chicago, South Lake Tahoe, Alaska, Burlingame and finally to Concord, where we both worked side by side with the previous owner for over 10 years. In order to fund such a business, a service like that merchant cash advance may be a huge factor.
7. What’s your favorite item in your store (or on the menu), and why is it your favorite?
It is a tough question, because a favorite item sometimes depends on the time of day or the occasion. Without a doubt, our Tiramisu Cake has been an all time family favorite. As to why, for all our pastries and cakes we procure, we use the best ingredients we can find and our Tiramisu has it all. The base starts with marscapone cheese, egg yolks and simple syrup. The creamy texture is made up of pure whipped cream and egg whites. An espresso Coffee syrup is drizzled on thin layers of our chiffon cakes to keep true to the meaning of the Tiramisu “pick me up” in Italian.
8. What makes your business unique?
Being able to adapt, improve and implement products and procedures in a moment’s notice. Having creative control over baking and production procedures puts us in a unique position to quickly adapt to an ever changing customer service environment.
9. Besides your business, what is your other favorite local business?
We love Digger’s diner, Fiore’s and Back Forty BBQ
10. When was the last time you took a vacation, and where did you go?
both of us together? 4 years ago…Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
RELATED STORY: The 925TEN On Claycord.com – 10 Questions With Businesses In The 925 – Hillside Dawgz Sausage & Hot Dog Shop On Clayton Rd. In Concord
How fun and interesting, thanks Claycord and Alpine!
I’ve been going there for years. Always a good experience. It would be nice if they made bread. Would like to buy freshly baked specialty breads at a local small business rather than chain stores. Thanks Alpine for years of delicious cakes and cookies.
I remember Alpine in the Terminal Center, and I loved their pastries.
People taking pride in their work, using the best ingredients, and well-trained staff, is the key to a successful, business. I’ve been to Alpine once a long time ago, and I remember the pastry was the best I’ve ever had. One of these days I’ll have to go back.
What a great way to learn more about a local business. I enjoyed reading their story.
What are some of the new rules and mandates are required by the government? Unfortunately, the government, which should be giving a break to small-business owners, tends to oppress them instead.
I use to go to Alpine when they were in the Terminal Shopping Center at least once a week. After they moved I think I’ve been to their new location once. I wish they were closer to Ygnacio Valley Road and Clayton Road. I may have to take a drive out for their Tiramisu, sounds good.
I agree with Bill.
New location doesn’t have the same drive-by (not that kind) appeal.
Haven’t been to the new location.
But this article is intriguing.
Joe
I haven’t been there in years, but I started going to Alpine in the 60s with my mom. Time to go back!