Saratoga News

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Carlos Granados helps get Kelly's Coffee and Fudge Factory ready for an April 30 opening.

Factory churns out coffee, fudge, cake and ice cream

By Suzanne Cristallo

Karen Zibert expects to see little faces pressed against her front window when she begins her candy-making at Kelly's Coffee and Fudge Factory April 30. She purposely arranged the marble slab table close to the front so kids of all ages can press in and watch as the hot fudge is poured fresh from the kettle and worked with a wooden paddle.

The new Los Gatos shop in the just-completed Soda Works Plaza on E. Main Street is more than a fudge and fresh-roast coffee shop. It boasts bulk candies such as jelly beans and penny candy that can be scooped from large jars along the wall. There's also freshly made toffee, candy apples, dipped fruits and turtles.

Pastries baked each morning and throughout the day include scones, coffee cakes, cookies and cupcakes and giant muffins spanning 4 inches, which, along with the handmade gourmet fudge, are Kelly's signature items. Bud's Ice Cream is sold by the scoop or in a sundae with fresh hot fudge to top it off.

Customers hungry for more than sweets can choose from a limited selection of sandwiches and pasta salads to accompany their lattes or espressos.

"We've talked about having a coffee shop for years," says Karen, who with husband Jack Zibert, daughter and son-in-law Tracy and Zane Long and friend David Zimmerman is part of the partnership they call the "ZZZ Coffee Group." Karen and Tracy handle the daytime storekeeping duties, and David, a "30-something" native San Josean, handles the evening, keeping his day job with GTE Wireless, where he works with Zane.

"Whenever we would have coffee somewhere, we always thought we could handle it better, given the proper resources and time. We always thought that would be after retirement," says Karen, now in her late 50s. She gave up her job as a corporate retirement plan administrator to work full time in their store while Jack continues his work in John Deere construction equipment sales.

The proper resources became apparent when they looked into franchising. Kelly's is a Beverly Hills-based business established in the late 1970s with nearly 50 franchisees in Southern California. The Los Gatos store is the first in the northern part of the state.

"After doing a lot of research," Karen says, "we saw a great advantage in using Kelly's expertise, proven track record and established reputation with financial institutions." The expertise involved architectural design help, equipment selection, special recipes and a corporate trainer who schooled Tracy and Karen in the fine art of fudge-making. "It takes a lot of muscle to make a batch of fudge," Karen says of the pushing and pulling of fresh fudge she does with a wooden paddle.

But the best part of opening a Kelly's, according to Karen, is the freedom they have to individualize their store, which is more "upscale," emphasizes pastries and confections and, unlike other stores, includes light luncheon selections and ice cream.

Kelly's Coffee and Fudge Factory, 26 E. Main St., Los Gatos. Open daily starting April 30, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 395-7883.

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