Sunny Bridge Expansion a Huge Success

Now with additional fresh, healthy options, recently celebrated the store’s expansion and anniversary with a celebration last week. The response from customers was beyond what owner Gina Snyder could have even imagined.

“The response to our grand reopening celebration has been phenomenal!” said Snyder. “Attendance was higher than we have ever had for an anniversary or special event before. The store was busy all five days. I don’t think anyone anticipated the type of response this expansion is having. It is great.”

New customers from all parts of the Pittsburgh area came to peruse the new selection at Sunny Bridge. The store also saw visits from its loyal customer base, some even stopping by a few times during the week or numerous times in a single day. The fresh, organic produce section, which was expanded to add more items, was a large draw for customers. They enjoyed trying the organic juices, smoothies and wheatgrass shots.

The delicious smells wafting from the new gluten-free bakery were another exciting draw during the celebration. Many customers asked questions, tried samples and learned something new. Also, the customers must have enjoyed what they tasted, as samples of snicker doodles and sugar cookies were devoured, and disappeared quickly from the display case. Freshly-baked white sandwich bread and cinnamon swirl bread flew off the shelves in minutes. The full café is set to open by the end of March.

“We have always been one of Pittsburgh’s largest purveyors of gluten-free products,” said Snyder. “The addition of the gluten-free bakery has our customers very excited. We serve items that are not only gluten-free, but also casein-free and occasionally, soy free."

Customers also enjoyed presentations and sampling from some of Sunny Bridge’s favorite companies and local farmers. Radio host Faith Starr, held an interesting seminar called “Herbs and the Healing Properties of Food” that attracted many people to the café seating area, where patrons learned how to stay healthy with certain foods and products.

"There is a need for this service and its products; dietary needs for these specialty items are growing," said Snyder. "Since this is a very specific type of baking and the area that it's performed in is exclusive to gluten-free ingredients, not many bakeries or restaurants can claim they have a dedicated gluten-free facility. There are more and more gluten-free products being introduced into the marketplace, but very few are offered freshly baked.”

Since these presentations, Sunny Bridge has received numerous requests for demonstrations and speaking engagements. So, customers can expect to find many more learning opportunities in the future.

Sunny Bridge also will be featuring massage and other services, such as blood cell analysis, in the near future. For more information, interested customers should check the Sunny Bridge website and sign up for the free newsletter, which features event listings and other store information.