Gorge Local In Business: Grand opening brings sweet treats to The Dalles

“I like to decorate. I really love when people place an order, and they’re like, I give you full creative run,” said Meza, “it just gives me … the freedom of experimenting and seeing what colors look good together.”

Meza, while having made some homemade treats for friends and family over the last few years, really began honing her treat making skills a year and a half ago while working from home during quarantine. “When the pandemic hit is really when I was at home most of the time because we couldn’t leave, and so I decided to experiment and do more dip treats and stuff like that,” said Meza, “It first started with a few friends ordering from me, and then they kept on telling me you should really open a business, these are really good.”

“It was a very scary decision,” Meza said, “but I just was like, okay, I’m going to start this.”

Starting off as a home-based side business, Meza eventually realized how much treat making had become a central part of her life. “My business was definitely taking over a lot of areas in my house, I mean, I had sprinkles and toppers and boxes and everything all over my house … there wasn’t a single room in my house that didn’t have anything that had to do with my business,” Meza said. “We actually got a storage unit too … that’s when we were kind of like, okay, yeah, my business is not a side business anymore.”

In June of last year, Meza was encouraged by a friend to open a shop. “I still wasn’t ready, I still wasn’t ready to be fully committed and everything to my business,” she said. “Months went by, I was like, you know, this is something I can do … I think this would be nice for my business.” In August 2021, Meza officially registered and began the process of opening her shop.

Along with her friends and family’s continued support, Meza shared that she is grateful for the support and opportunity to connect with other small business owners. “I’ve just met like a big group of just wonderful ladies … it’s really nice to relate to someone and create new friends.” She said, “I’ve had a lot of friendships through my small business, so I’m very grateful for that too.”

Meza said that since she began her business, collaborating with other small businesses is big part of her own. “I have a network of friends that I’m actually really close to, and we like to collaborate (and to) just showcase each other’s work all time,” said Meza. “I like to incorporate their stuff into my boxes … we’ll have like a mug box or something, and I’ll have one of my friends that does those cricket mugs put their mug in a box, and then I provide the strawberries.”

Along with her own treat decorating, Meza also holds decorating workshops for community members interested in dipping their own treats. Having held her first ones over the Christmas holiday, Meza hosted a “wine night,” where customers could participate while sipping on wine, as well as a family friendly workshop, where customers could bring their children to decorate holiday related treats. “I really think it was the most rewarding part was just seeing everyone just have their creative gears on and just decorating … when I begin every workshop, I kind of explain, you know, the rules … be respectful, no judgment, just feel creative,” she said.

“It was hard too, because of the pandemic. I didn’t want too many people in a room,” said Meza, “but I feel like everyone was pretty good at keeping their masks on and we had our gloves on, and I feel like we kind of felt normal for a while … being around other people and interacting, and you know, doing their own thing. It was pretty cool.”

Meza said that she wants to hold workshops for each holiday, starting with Valentine’s Day. “I want to do like a couple(s) workshop and another family workshop because even though it’s Valentine’s Day, you can still bring your kiddos and have fun making treats.”

While one of the busiest times of the year for chocolate treats, Meza hopes her business will change the perception that goods like chocolate covered strawberries are only for Valentine’s Day, stating that she believes edible gifts can be for all occasions. “You don’t really think of chocolate covered strawberries or any other treats during the year … you can give someone chocolate covered strawberries, or cakesicles, or pretzel sticks for a birthday party or an engagement, and I’ve done a whole bunch of different boxes,” said Meza. “There’s no limit.

“We love The Dalles, I’ve had a lot of really good community support,” said Meza, “I’m very grateful and thankful for the experience … all the support from my customers, from the community, from other small businesses … I’m very thankful for that.”

“I’m very excited for this new journey,” she said.

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Located at 214 Washington St., Berries by Felice is open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For event updates, or to submit a custom order, customers can find the link to the order forms on the Berries by Felice facebook page or @berriesbyfelice on Instagram, or search Berriesbyfelice at linktr.ee.