May 1

May 1 Alicja Confections - Alicja

Guest User

Food & Drink, Arts & Crafts, Retail, Tourism

Alicja Confections
alicjaconfections.com
Instagram//Facebook

Owner: Alicja Buchowicz
Neighbourhood: The Glebe
829 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3V9
(613) 884-5864

Interview + Photography: Marianne Rothbauer, Rothbauer Studio

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m originally from Winnipeg, first generation immigrant from Poland! My whole family was born there, I was the only one born in Canada. Started out as a dancer, then an artist, then a graphic designer, then a sales woman, now a chocolatier! Life is so weird.

At what point did you decide to open your own store, how did you get started.

The super long story short: I started a job in an office and after a few months, I was very bored. My background is in art and design, but I had an interest in baking and sweets, as well as business and handmade. I started Alicja Confections as a hobby to play around with in my spare time. It snowballed to the point where I quit my job, moved to Ottawa, tested the Ottawa market for 1 year, and decided to open a shop in the Glebe!

Do you remember the first item that was purchased?

My best friend Alison bought a box of bonbons, and a box of my globe chocolates from my Etsy shop about 30 seconds after it went live, haha!

Favourite Season…Easter or Christmas?

Christmas 100%, it’s longer!

Guilty pleasure?

Anything matcha flavoured. Tacos. Pizza. Should I keep going?

Tell us a bit about your daily work life and what you enjoy the most.

Every day is different. I’m the type of person that focuses a little too hard on a specific task that everything else takes a back seat in that moment. That’s why I have a weekly/monthly schedule of everything I need to do - some days I’m in the shop making hundreds of bonbons, some days I’m in my office answering emails and working on marketing. I like to have variety!

What was the most exciting product you have created to date and what was it.

The one of a kind Easter Bunnies. I was shocked by the response. People loved them and the design contest for them was a huge hit. Definitely going to bring it back next year - we may even do something similar for Christmas!

What are the challenges that come with owning a store?

Time. It’s always time for me. Because I make every single product with my own two hands, having time to do literally everything else that you need to do with a business gets a little crazy. I am super thankful to Nick, my fiancé and business partner, who takes on a lot of responsibilities so I have more time to be creative and do the things I love doing most.

Most chocolate you have ever consumed in a day?:)

Any time I travel, I find as much new and different chocolate I can possibly find - we’re going to Japan next month just to try a bunch of new things and chocolates. The day after a trip, I usually end up eating an unhealthy amount of chocolate with Nick.

Ever get tired of Chocolate? How much chocolate is too much chocolate?

The limit does not exist.

How do you unwind at the end of a day?

I watch a lot of YouTube videos. Because it’s still freezing outside, I tend to chill at home with my pup Lola and watch some videos (right now watching everything I can find on photography). In the summer, Lola, Nick, and I go on long walks!