Local Business Spotlight:
SWEETIE’S
THE BIKER & THE BAKER
Meet Sweetie’s and The Biker & The Baker!
Owners Rob and Sarah Gartzman have been serving up creative, high-quality, and DELICIOUS eats here in Salida since 2012. Located in the heart of Downtown Salida, these two businesses have quickly become a favorite of locals and tourists alike! Keep reading to learn more.
The Spotlight
Photo cred: Catherine Eichel
(for all photos used in this feature)
Owners Rob & Sarah Gartzman
Tell us a little about your background and who you are.
Founded in 2012 by Rob & Sarah Gartzman, Sweetie's has quickly become a local favorite among restaurants in Salida. Sweetie's offers over 60 original artisan sandwiches, pastries, seasonal soups and salads - all created by Rob & Sarah and their shared passion for delicious food. Sarah is a classically trained french pastry chef who specializes in creative desserts and sourdough bread baking; and Rob is a former bike mechanic who graduated from CU Boulder with a degree from The Leeds School of Business in Business and Operations Management. Together, with their shared talents and love for each other and this community, they make a power couple of entrepreneurs and restaurateurs.
Sweetie's has been voted Best Lunch, Friendliest Staff, Best Dessert, and Best Sandwich in the Best of Salida 2016-2020 and Sarah was voted Best Chef in Salida in 2020, as well. In May 2016, Rob & Sarah opened their second Salida restaurant, Mo Burrito (which sold to longtime employee and Salida local in 2019) - and opened their third, The Biker & The Baker, an upscale wine and dessert bar in the Spring of 2017, which has now expanded to serve brunch daily with the addition of a full bar. In December of 2020, after years of planning, construction and work, they moved both Sweetie's and The Biker & The Baker into their current location downtown Salida, across from the river, on the corner of Sackett and G Street. Their new home houses both concepts on different floors completed by a 3rd floor rooftop patio with 360 degree views of Salida, the Arkansas River and some of the tallest and most renowned mountain peaks in the state.
What is your mission/vision statement?
Sweetie's Sandwich Shop and The Biker & The Baker share a common goal to create the most creative, highest quality food and beverages at the most reasonable prices with the friendliest service possible. We strive to provide consistent, clean, and excellent customer service run food establishments daily.
How long have you been operating?
We have been in business for almost 9 years.
What motivated you to start your own business?
Rob has always been motivated to own his own business and when we realized we could own and operate Sweetie's in Salida we both became committed to be apart of and serve this community.
Please describe the services you offer.
Sweetie's offers a variety of sandwiches of bread made in house every morning and sweets baked in house daily and The Biker & The Baker offers brunch daily as well as evening cocktail, wine, charcuterie and dessert service Thursday-Saturday nights.
What makes your business stand out from other businesses offering similar services or products?
Our restaurants stand out because we are creative, hard-working, and never stop creating new ways to stay current and relevant in the restaurant industry. Rob & Sarah work with each member of their staff daily and can most often be seen behind the bar, serving tables, making sandwiches or brunch every day. Their presence, creativity, and leadership in their businesses inspires their employees as well as their patrons.
What are your customers saying about you? What keeps them coming back?
We provide a consistent product and in a pleasant environment to dine in and hopefully that keeps everyone coming back!
Have you won any awards or had any special recognition or acknowledgment of your business?
We have been recognized in many publications including Vogue Magazine, Sunset Magazine, 5280 Magazine, The Denver Post, tons of blogs and online travel sites, etc. and in 2020 Sarah was voted Best Chef in Salida by The Mountain Mail
What are your plans for the future of your business?
We hope to maintain the current status of our businesses and not make too many big changes as we've just made so may we hope to enjoy the fruits of our labor at this stage of our lives and business development.
Do you have any upcoming events or specials that you would like to share with us?
The Biker & The Baker will be opening rooftop patio service with an additional full bar and new cocktail menu starting Memorial Day Weekend, weather permitting.
Please tell us one of your favorite things about being a part of our community.
We love Salida. We love cooking for our friends and community members and being able to serve them daily. We look forward to seeing locals come back day after day and we love watching tourists experience and taste our magic for the first time.
What are your hours of operation? Do you have seasonal hours?
Sweetie's is open 10a-4p daily and The Biker & The Baker is open 8a-12p daily and evenings Thursdays-Saturdays 4-10p.
GET IN TOUCH
Sweetie’s Sandwich Shop
129 W. Sackett Avenue, Salida, CO 81201
719-539-4248 | www.sweetiesinsalida.com
The Biker & The Baker
129 W. Sackett Avenue, Salida, CO 81201
719-207-4001 | www.thebikerandthebaker.com
A special thanks to Rob & Sarah Gartzman for taking the time to answer our questions!
We’re so fortunate to have your business in our community!
