Husband and wife team, Chris and Steve Tini, opened Sweet Be’s Candy & Gifts in 2003, providing the
St.Louis area with a unique concept for a gift store.
The shop is a treasure trove of assorted confections, gourmet chocolates, snack treats, retro candies, adorable stuffed animals, special candy bouquets and a variety of interesting gifts.
“We want this to be a one-stop shop where customers not only find just what they were looking for, but where they had fun doing it! We listen to our customers and work hard at finding items they will think are unique”, explains Chris.
Sweet Be’s is “more than just a candy store” and offers items such as Jellycat stuffed plush, Uglydolls, Gund products, Webkinz from GANZ, pamper yourself products like Burt’s Bees and European Soaps, Votivo Candles and Demdaco Willow Tree collectibles. Customers are also able to choose from pre-made gift baskets and candy bouquets or they can mix and match candies, novelties and gift items to create custom baskets and bouquets.
This family business is backed with many years of experience. Steve previously owned another candy business and was a candy buyer for twenty-five years. In her former career, Chris was an operations manager, director of quality control, training and customer service. The Tini’s are a close-knit family and their four daughters Jen, Kristen, Stefanie and Mandy, when not working or in college, occasionally help with running the store. This feeling of family, kindness and fun is the essence of Sweet Be’s Candy & Gifts.
The name of the store comes from Steve’s nickname for Chris, “BE” which stands for Blue Eyes. This fit perfectly with their bumblebee theme and hence the name “Sweet Be’s” was born!
The Tini’s also took inspiration from a special story about the bumblebee that has circulated since the 1920’s.
According to the theory of aerodynamics, the bumblebee should be unable to fly. This is because the size, weight and shape of its body, in relation to its total wingspan, should make flying impossible. The bumblebee ignores these scientific truths and flies anyway, making a little honey on the side.
The Tini’s know that this is the stuff of urban legend, but they choose to “bee-lieve” it anyway! Just like the bumblebee which seems to do the impossible, the staff at Sweet Be’s will do everything possible to make your shopping experience leave you “buzzing with excitement”! If you are in the area, stop by, they can’t wait to meet you. The best is yet to be!
