If life is a bowl of cherries, Blake and Jennifer Rolley’s is dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with nuts. Since meeting on a blind date, the couple has been on a sugar high – raising a family, being involved in the Flagstaff community and engaging in a number of business endeavors, most recently the Sweet Shoppe and Nut House in Flagstaff.
The Rolleys’ first business was a quick-serve healthy Mexican food restaurant in North Phoenix. After 18 months, they said, “Adios.”
“With both of us having separate careers requiring a lot of travel and a restaurant, we learned a lot about time management,” said Blake.
The couple then moved to Flagstaff to raise their two children and quickly found themselves in candy land.
They owned a confectionary store in Sedona, but after three years of commuting between Flagstaff and Sedona, they decided the travel time was taking away from their family life. So they went into the banking business with First State Bank. They say they built great relationships, but with the downturn in the economy came a downturn in the business.
Committed to staying in Flagstaff, the couple opened Rolley Insurance Group, an independent insurance agency that is flourishing today. And two years ago, Blake and Jennifer had a craving for a fun candy store in the downtown area. As a result, the Sweet Shoppe and Nut House opened its doors on Aspen Avenue.
Jennifer laughs when thinking about their numerous business ventures. “We always have several irons in the fire at any given time.”
The Rolleys say the secret to sweet success is balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We have a huge amount of trust and faith in each other. Our strengths compliment each other. He’s strong on the business side while I’m strong on the marketing, sales and the make-it-pretty side,” she said.
Both Blake and Jennifer believe it’s extremely important to build positive relationships with their employees and customers.
“If someone is going to come downtown to fight parking and break their diet to come into our store, they better have a darn good time doing it,” said Jennifer. “We want people to know we are happy they came in.”
“My favorite piece of running the store is teaching our employees how to be successful in business,” said Blake. “Having them see success in what they are doing is such a great feeling.”
When they are not serving up caramel covered apples or cookies and cream fudge, the Rolleys serve the Flagstaff community in other ways. Quoting her father, Jennifer says, “Simply put, you dance with who brung ya. This town is full of amazing people who have offered support and helped raise our kids, and it is important to give back to the community that has given us so much.”
Blake has served as the chairman of the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the Coconino Community College Foundation. Jennifer has served on the Flagstaff Symphony Board, United Way Board, and been a member of the Soroptimist International of the Arizona Peaks. Both are active members of Trinity Heights United Methodist Church as well.
The husband and wife dynamic duo is eagerly looking to expand the Sweet Shoppe and Nut House, pouring their chocolatey goodness into Phoenix and the Southwest. FBN
By Lauren Peterson