COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — It's a really sweet story.
A Texas A&M student started a small sweets business during the pandemic and now its ripening. The Aggie is now learning to balance the new norm of not only virtual learning, but also owning a business during a time where both are difficult to accomplish.
"I never thought I would start anything like this," Carly Kahn, the owner of Carly's Confections said.
Carly's Confections was launched in May, right around Mother's Day of this year, a time freshly into the global pandemic.
Carly says she dabbled in creating unique goods on holidays in the past, but wanted to make her creations permanent this time.
"I used to sell some on Valentine's Day in high school just as a way spread some Valentine's cheer. My friends and I would get together and have a girls night with chocolate covered strawberries," Kahn said.
Years removed from this high-school nights, mixed with a lot of free time in the beginning of a global pandemic, proved to be the perfect storm to create a sweets business she had always dreamed about.
"I just decided to start going in the kitchen you know just dipping some strawberries and trying different flavors," Kahn said.
A trial-and-error time that would eventually land her her best-selling flavors.
"I have the plain chocolate strawberries, as well as my white coconut strawberries. I also have my fruity pebbles which are just a rainbow assortment with white chocolate. I have my homemade strawberry shortcake berries which are kind of like the nostalgic popsicle from our childhood memories... they taste like strawberries and cream," Kahn added as she described a few top sellers.
Kahn said with her heavy hitting sales from her first Mother's Day and Father's Day treats, she decided to branch out and put roots down in the business community by becoming a vendor at local farmer's markets, including the Brazos Valley Farmer's Market.
"I am really excited to be here in Bryan/College Station. I go to A& M, so it's really cool to see fellow Aggies and alumni here in this community and getting to share my love for sweets with them," Kahn said.
Kahn says the combination of virtual school and a less-social pandemic life has allowed her to devote more time to her business and season her creative side.
"Seeing the moms, the girlfriends, the boyfriends, the dads...seeing them receive my gifts and just getting pictures from their parents...hugging their kids crying saying 'oh my God, I love you so much.' People wouldn't think to normally order strawberries for events like that," Kahn said. "It's definitely been rewarding during this pandemic and kind of go back to the whole community feel and going back to socializing."
Kahn says she hopes to continually make an impact here in the Brazos Valley, one dipped strawberry at a time.
You can find Carly's social pages at @carlysconfectionsco on Facebook and Instagram.