If you have a sweet tooth and spend any time in downtown Seymour, chances are you’ll be seeing Alyssa DeMatteo a lot in the future.
That is, if you haven’t already beaten a path to Wildflour Confections, DeMatteo’s new shop at the corner of Columbus and Bank streets.
DeMatteo held a “soft opening” of the bakery on Valentine’s Day — and promptly sold out hours before closing time.
A 24-year-old who grew up in Seymour, DeMatteo welcomed about 20 friends, family members, customers, and officials to the shop Wednesday for a grand opening ceremony.
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She said before the ceremony that she fell in love with cake decorating working her first job at a bakery.
“I like the art of it, and then I learned to bake so that I can decorate,” DeMatteo said.
The bakery’s menu offers a range of confections, from cupcakes to cake pops to cookies, just to name a few items.
Customers can also make custom orders — check out the business’ drool-inducing photo gallery for some examples.
The business began as a Facebook page about three years ago, DeMatteo said before the ribbon-cutting.
“I never thought, ever, that I would be here,” DeMatteo said.
She worked at a business next door, Seymour Antiques, but found herself having to devote more and more time to baking.
Eventually, the owners of the antiques business — husband-and-wife architects Joseph Migani and Joan O’Riordan — offered to lease her the storefront at 18 Bank St.
“We didn’t want to show it to anyone else,” O’Riordan said.
DeMatteo’s mother and grandmother were on hand for Wednesday’s ceremony. Her boyfriend, Adam Hovan, helps her run the shop.
“I can’t even explain how I did it, but somehow I got there with lots of support,” DeMatteo said.
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Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller said the business will complement others downtown.
“These are the types of businesses that we want in downtown Seymour, because they all fit together,” Miller said.
“People will come to downtown, they’re going to want to hit the antique stores, then they’re going to say ‘Well this is a great idea, let me grab a cupcake, let me get some tea from Tracy’s,’” the First Selectman said. “Or they’ll come down specifically for the cupcakes, which I know a lot of people are doing, and they’re going to say ‘Oh, I noticed something at Tickled Pink‘ and walk across the street.”
“This entire experience here is so charming,” Bill Purcell, president of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce, said.
“With the rail coming through the very heart of town, a very walkable space, and now a rich and eclectic mix of arts, antiques, specialty retailers, bakeries, restaurants, theaters, this is what makes a community a community,” Purcell said.
“This is quintessential New England, right here, in this three- or four-block area,” he added.
Purcell said after the event that the chamber’s Women In Networking Group awarded DeMatteo a scholarship to attend the Women Business Development Center’s (WBDC) “Passion to Profits Entrepreneurial Training” series, which she began this week.
The bakery can be reached by calling 203 – 231-9498.
Click here to visit the business’ website.
And click here to check out its Facebook page.
Check out pictures from Wednesday’s grand opening in the gallery below.
