Arielle Page hasn’t opened her dessert shop yet, but people have already stopped by to let her know they follow her on social media.
This week, Page, owner of Arie’s Confectionaries, plans to open a storefront located at 1202 Town Park Lane, Suite 106 in Evans near Takosushi.
She sells full-size and mini cheesecakes in various flavors, including key lime, Oreo, red velvet, and strawberry. Arie’s will also offer a flavor of the week and seasonal flavors, such as pumpkin and salted caramel apple, as well as tea, coffee, and milk.
She founded the business in 2020 and has been selling her cakes on Saturdays at the Augusta Market.
“We’ve gotten so much love on Facebook,” Page said. “Social media is the new word of mouth.”
Page earned a public relations degree from Georgia Southern University and an associate degree in patisserie and baking from Le Cordon Bleu. She then baked pastries for the Omni Hotel & Resort and Four Seasons Hotel, both in Atlanta. Page was laid off from the Four Seasons in early 2020 because of the pandemic.
She said these jobs prepared her for the rigors of business ownership because they often required her to work well beyond eight hours a day.
“I’ve never had a 9 to 5,” Page said. “I’m used to working all day every day.”
It took some time to find the right location for her shop. She considers herself lucky to find the vacant building on Town Park Lane, which used to be occupied by Alumni Cookie Dough. That meant, Page didn’t have to spend a fortune turning it into a bakery.
“I wanted to start out in Columbia County, and it was right in my price range,” she said.
Page currently has no employees, but her mom helps when she can. She’s now looking for a manager in training.
Page is excited about taking her business to the next level.
“It’s been a long time coming; I’ve always wanted to own my pastry shop,” she said.
Page hopes many of her Facebook followers will visit Arie’s Confectionaries.
The business will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit ariesconfectionaries.com or call 706-432-9799.
