Sprouts & Shutters: Sugarie Bake Shop Open

Five weeks ago Natalie Wong's dreams came true as she and her husband, Russ Trapani, hung the sign over the door for her new pastry shop in Pleasanton.

The Sugarie Bake Shop opened in the Vintage Hills Shopping Center in December after the couple completely remodeled what used to be a karate studio, turning the vacancy into a contemporary French bakery.

The signature item in the glass display case at Sugarie are the French Macarons and word on the street is that they are to die for.

The business was created after Wong, who moved to the United States from Asia when she was 19-years-old, returned home four years ago because her grandmother, whom she used to bake with as a child, wanted to show her the recipes before she was unable to bake any longer due to Alzheimer's.

According to Trapani, his wife, who had worked as a buyer for Nordstrom's, really enjoyed the time baking with her grandmother again and Sugarie was born.

"Sugarie was her invention from her mind, body and spirit," Trapani said. "It was all her doing. I am just the guy helping. This is a dream come true. We had no idea that after eight years of marriage, we would be working together under the same roof in something we built together."

Trapani says the whole operation started in a commercial bakery in Menlo Park over two-and-a-half years ago. The husband and wife duo used to drive to the peninsula, lugging with them all of the baking equipment and supplies to the kitchen during scheduled times, making the baking a challenge for the Pleasanton residents. Wong and Trapani eventually found the space in Pleasanton and got to work, handling much of the construction themselves.

According to Trapani, the baking at Sugarie starts at 4:30 a.m. every morning. Wong is the owner and baker while her husband handles the sales, marketing and heavy lifting for the business venture.

"We wanted to create a feel of the small bakeries found off of the side streets of Paris," Trapani commented.

Wong credits fun flea market-esque finds and Pintrest ideas for the authentic French cafe shabby chic look. 

Trapani  added, "There is a fine art of sitting at a cafe in France and watching the world go by. We don't do that often enough in this country."

The couple aspires to expand locations in the future. 

"We would love to eventually live in Paris but until then we have brought Paris to Pleasanton," Trapani said.

Trapani says Sugarie offers catering, in addition to the coffee and pastries for sale at the bakery. 

Sugarie is open Tuesday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The bakery is located at 3500 Bernal Avenue, Suite 155. 

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