Downtown will be getting another new retail business. The Downtown Ithaca Alliance (DIA) has announced that Sarah’s Pâtisserie is opening a second location in downtown Ithaca. Sarah’s Patisserie has been supplying the community with fine French-inspired chocolates, pastries, and cakes from their Community Corners location since the spring of 2004. This spring, their new chocolate room will open one block off the Ithaca Commons in Seneca Place (130 East Seneca Street at North Tioga Street).
In an elegant Art Deco-inspired store built by The Pike Company in collaboration with local LEED-accredited interior designer Cathy Emilian, customers will be able to watch Chef-Owner Tammy Travis transform blocks of chocolate into gourmet confections infused with key lime, passion fruit, chili, and dozens of other exotic flavors. They can also sit down and enjoy an éclair, torte, croissant, or macaron with coffee or tea and order a custom box of bonbons to go. The store will be open daily from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Travis and partner Sarah Jefferis are excited about bringing their treats – described as “delectable art” by The Good Life Magazine – to the heart of the city. Says Sarah, “We chose this space for its possibility, its promise, and its accessibility to other restaurants on the Commons. We hope to catch the after-dinner and after-theatre crowd as well as tourists who are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn. Tourists want to take a little part of Ithaca back to their hometowns and there is no better way to do that than with a box of artisanal chocolates made by a local Ithacan.”
Sarah’s Pâtisserie came to the notice of the DIA during its Race for the Space competition last year where local entrepreneurs competed for a chance to win free rent for one year in a prime downtown location. While Sarah’s finished a close runner-up, they maintained their interest and desire for a downtown presence. Says Chef Tammy, “We are creating a space that is unlike anything downtown Ithaca has ever seen before. The DIA and Ciminelli have incredibly kind and generous as we move forward in this adventure.”
DIA Executive Director Gary Ferguson noted that “Sarah’s is an example of a growing number of downtown businesses that offer experiential retailing. It’s not just about buying on-line or at a mall. These retailers, like Sarah’s, engage you at all levels — sight, smell, taste, and sound. We are delighted to have Sarah’s join are downtown community of businesses.”
