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See’s Candies opens at Camino Real Marketplace DAVE MASON/NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSAssistant Manager Leticia Moran holds chocolate treats at the new See’s Candies location in Goleta.
The new See’s Candies at Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta is kicking off its Grand Opening Week on Friday.
The week will run through Aug. 26.
By popular demand, the store opened several weeks ago for business, and the grand opening ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. Friday. City officials will speak at the event, which will be followed by a ribbon cutting.
See’s Candies is located at 7044 Market Place Drive and is opening as the chain celebrates its 101st anniversary.
To celebrate, the heritage candy company will be offering various promotions. All in-store shoppers during Grand Opening Week can enter their email address for a chance to win a $25 See’s gift card. Also, a free gift will be given to any in-store shoppers or Click, Pick, Go! Purchasers at pickup.sees.com of $35 or more.
COURTESY PHOTO“Customers have been asking for a new shop here, and we are proud to deliver!” See’s Candies CEO Pat Egan told the News-Press about the opening of the new location at Camino Real Marketplace.See’s will continue its tradition of handing out free samples, encouraging brand fans to head to the new location to check out seasonal sweets, snag all-time favorites and sample new flavors.
“We first came to the Santa Barbara area in 1972, and our La Cumbre Plaza location will actually be celebrating their 15th Anniversary next week, so we know the area has a sweet tooth and they love their See’s! This new shop in Goleta is a relocation from our Santa Barbara shop at Paseo Nuevo,” Pat Egan, CEO of See’s Candies, told the News-Press in an email. “Whenever I would visit our shops in the Santa Barbara area, I always enjoyed the city of Goleta and the strong sense of community.
A ribbon cutting will take place Friday morning at See’s Candies in Camino Real Marketplace. It’s a short walk from Metropolitan Camino Real Cinemas.“Customers have been asking for a new shop here, and we are proud to deliver!” Mr. Egan said.
He said the new Goleta location has been in the works for a few years.
“We wanted to make sure we found the best location possible and are excited to be in the Camino Real Marketplace,” he said.
“I know our shop associates are greatly looking forward to the relationships they will form with customers, both longtime and new, in the area,” Mr. Egan asid. “Our shop associate team has over 30 years of customer service experience at See’s, which honestly isn’t uncommon in our shops.
At left, Milk Bordeaux, one of the treats at See’s Candies in Goleta, features creamy brown sugar and has a soft center. At right, Dark Scotchmallow features honey marshmallow and vanilla caramel.“Our associates stay because they love serving our customers,” he said. “For example, Erika, one of our associates in this shop, started working with us 20 years ago. and Armando has been with us for 11 years. Armando once ate 17 pieces of candy in one shift…
“While I don’t recommend that, I can’t say that I blame him!”
Mr. Egan spoke to the significance of See’s Candies entering its second century of business.
“There are two things that we attribute See’s 101 years of success to: Our team makes the best candy on the planet,” he said. “And we have excellent service that our incredible shop associates provide. Since 1921, our motto has been: ‘Quality Without Compromise.’
At left, the proud history of See’s Candies is displayed above its products. At right, a variety of chocolate delights graces See’s Candies in Goleta.“Our candies are made right here in California with the finest and best ingredients and no preservatives added,” Mr. Egan noted. “And of course, we wouldn’t be here over a century later, if it weren’t for our customers. They are the reason we are so focused on making the highest quality candy, continue to innovate and expand to new locations.
“We love being part of their traditions and seeing multi-generational families come into shops together,” he said. “I’m always so thrilled to see the customer reaction to our product and the experience of shopping with See’s.”
The News-Press asked Mr. Egan to name his favorite summer candies.
“That is a loaded question!” he exclaimed.
“I could go on for a while picking my favorites,” Mr. Egan continued. “ They are all just so good, but lately I’ve been reaching for our new Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds that launched last month. They are the perfect snack to have on hand at any moment of the day.
“I’ve also been known to keep a stash of our famous lollipops,” the CEO added. “They are so creamy and last a long time! Our lollipops are perfect for the summertime especially since they are warm weather friendly and won’t melt.
“I can also tease that we are launching a brand-new piece next month that is perfect for fall,” he said.
“Our legacy is sweet, strong and 101 years old,” Mr. Egan said.
“We started in 1921 when Mary See and her son Charles A. See moved to Los Angeles from Canada,” the CEO said. “Charles always had dreams of owning a chain of chocolate shops using his mother’s recipes.
“When they opened the first See’s candy shop at 135 Western Ave. North in Los Angeles, everyone loved her recipes. When the shop first opened, customers immediately noticed that not only did See’s Candies taste great, but the great service and focus on taking care of the customer and creating a relationship set See’s apart from others,” Mr. Egan said.
“And that’s still how we operate today.”
See’s is currently staffing up for its new location and does seasonal hiring: “See’s is a great place to work,” Mr. Egan said. “We are very dedicated to our employees. Our employees get to deliver joy every day, and that is another element of what makes us special.
“We always hire for the end-of-year holiday season, but obviously, we are staffing up here now.”
email: kzehnder@newspress.com
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