requests. Thanksgiving is always bigger
than Christmas because people are still
into eating. Then, I take a weekend off.”
She tries to use themed food for holidays.
They close the first two weeks of January
when everyone is trying to follow their
New Year’s resolutions. “After a few years
we realized, it doesn’t make sense to be
open, and it’s a good time to take a break
after the holiday rush.”
Tartaglia said that since the move, the
bakery’s business has increased by about
twenty-five percent. But being a small
business is still extremely difficult. “As
soon as you’re getting above water, some
new tax or regulation comes out. Instead
of helping you, it feels like they want
to slap you down. Also, I don’t know
why people in small communities don’t
support small businesses more.”
For example, she buys her coffee from
a small local part-time business who can’t
even afford to go full-time. But people
bring Starbucks coffee cups into her shop,
even though she sells gourmet coffee
herself. “I had to put my foot down. Until
you’ve been in someone’s shoes, you don’t
get it.”
What’s more, she doesn’t think
people understand the benefit of small
businesses. “What gives a town its flavor?
It’s not Starbucks.”
Tartaglia works hard to maintain a
strong relationship with the community.
While she gets inundated by requests for
donations and gift certificates for local
fundraisers, she said, “I always donate,
but I don’t always feel like I get the
support back.”
Despite all the struggles of running
a small business, Tartaglia treasures the
unique relationship with her customers.
Her husband says it’s the only business
he’s seen where people come in and say,
“Thank you for being here.”
Tartaglia believes that people who
are gluten free feel misunderstood. She’s
happy to provide a place where they feel
welcome to eat without judgment or
questions. “Parents come in and tell their
kids ‘You can eat everything here.’ I love
seeing that.”
“If I wanted to make more money,
I would have gone back to corporate
America. I’m rich in people around me,
but cash poor. I’ve said to my husband,
‘This business has self-actualized me.’ It
has given joy to so many people; that’s
why I do it. Some days I wake up and
ask ‘Why am I doing all this?’ But I start
baking cookies, see my customers, and it
all goes away. Besides, if I’m not busy, I
get bored,” she said, laughing.
Goals for Future
Tartaglia would like to expand if she had
more investors. “I’m looking for a partner
because I need someone to get me to the
next level.” In the gluten free business,
“The hardest thing to do is bread, and it’s
the thing I excel at. My goal is to build a
name for myself, so someone will want to
license the product.” She smiled, saying,
“Especially since I’m not 20.”
Her products have already garnered
much attention, winning some local “best
of” recognition as the best small bakery
three years in a row, best specialty food
in Gilroy for 2015, best lunch and best
pizza. Her advice to people about gluten-
free products is to be open minded and
“Try new things.”
Happy New Year
48
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
gmhtoday.com