With Easter just days away, it is crunch time at the Mystic Sweet Shoppe.
"It is crazy! I am all bunnied out," said Rita Lara, owner of the local candy store. "It is a lot of fun. I love it. I look forward to this time of year.”
Lara and her team sell hundreds of chocolate bunnies during the Easter season.
“It is our busiest time of year because we make a lot of artisanal chocolates which are bunnies and we use a lot of European molds," said Lara.
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The bunnies are handmade, hand-painted and wrapped into Easter baskets by the team at the shop.
“We put a lot of love into it. We cut the ribbons ourselves. We put the grass," said Lara. "We arrange the bunnies the way we think people would love to see it.”
Not only does Lara love Easter, the holiday also brings an important boost in business.
“When people come down to Mystic and purchase things, it means that maybe some of the slow time in January and February, we can catch up on some of our bills when we sell the bunnies," said Lara. "So it is very important to us, especially as a small woman-owned business. It’s very important.”
Easter in Connecticut
House of Flora Flower Market in Hartford is also busy ahead of the Easter holiday. They are working hard to get all sorts of flower arrangements out the door before Sunday.
"It is egg-cellent," said Richard Brancifort, who owns House of Flora. "Everybody enjoys it. They come in and say 'Happy Easter' and everybody is greeting you. You have a smile on your face.”
Restaurants across the state are gearing up for a busy weekend as well. The Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic is hosting a special Easter brunch, which also kicks off a busy spring and summer season for the popular restaurant.
“Which we love because it is so fun to see people come to our doors - new clients, fresh faces," said Kathleen Standridge, wine director at The Shipwright's Daughter.
From flowers, to candy, to meals, Americans are expected to spend an average of $192 this Easter. According to the national retail federation, that is the highest average on record.
