Photograph by George Sakkestad. Rachel Ruggiero, left, and her daughter Katie Wright whip up a batch of cotton candy, which is especially popular at kids’ parties. Their new company, Sparkle Party Rentals, has been hired to provide cotton candy, popcorn and games at adult parties, too.
Our monthly round-up of local business in Los Gatos shines the spotlight on a few of the movers and shakers making our town good for business.
Glittering business
The hit television show “Shark Tank” has inspired many entrepreneurs to put their ideas into action, which is what a Los Gatos mother and daughter team did last spring when they launched “Sparkle Party Rentals.”
In four short months, mom Rachel Ruggiero and her 12-year-old daughter, Katie Wright, have already built a strong following for their party concession business.
They invested about $1,800 in cotton candy and popcorn machines, bought a cornhole game and party-sized versions of the Giant Connect 4 Game, Ladderball and Jenga, and were off and running.
“We always watch “Shark Tank” and we’ve had several ideas, but we both agreed this was a good idea,” Katie said. “We’re averaging two parties a week.”
And it’s not just children’s parties, Ruggiero said.
“Our games are a big hit at wedding receptions,” she said. “It gives the guests something to do besides dance. Our games are for all ages.”
Corporate groups have also signed up for party rentals.
Katie and her mom posted flyers around town and in Morgan Hill, so some of their business is from that marketing effort. They also set up Instagram, Facebook, Google Ad Words and Yelp accounts to market the business, and Katie reached out to classmates and local schools.
“Van Meter and Daves Avenue Elementary schools are using our popcorn machine for their movie nights,” Katie said.
Katie is a seventh grader at Fisher Middle School, where she’s a member of the Leadership team.
“I’ve learned the responsibility of managing and advertising a business, and making cold calls and sales,” Katie said. “I’ve also become pretty comfortable speaking to adults.”
Sparkle Party Rentals charges $80 a day for each popcorn, candy cane and snow cone machine rental. The machines come with enough supplies for at least 50 servings.
“We’ll also come out and serve people for $30 an hour,” Ruggiero said.
Sparkle Party Rentals offers free delivery within a 15-mile radius of Los Gatos. Visit sparklepartyrentals.com for more information.
Brewers take prize
The Loma Brewing Company, 130 N. Santa Cruz Ave., was named the 2017 California Commercial Beer Brewery of the Year at the California State Fair.
Loma’s brewmaster, Warren Billups, started brewing in his garage in 2009 because his wife said he needed a hobby. He became a commercial brewer two years later and joined Loma Brewing in 2015.
The state fair award is quite a feat considering Loma opened just one year ago.
This year, they signed on to become the Los Gatos Education Foundation’s “back to school” sponsor.
Visit lomabrew.com.
Also, Loma will be donating 50 percent of its net sales to the Los Gatos Education Foundation from 8 pm to closing Aug. 31 — just mention “LGEF” to your server. The foundation raises money for teachers’ salaries for math, physical education, art, music, and literacy programs.
Businesses interested in supporting LGEF contact Alexis Barnickel business@lgef.org.
Culinary adventures
Manresa owner and Executive Chef David Kinch is celebrating his three-Michelin star restaurant’s 15th anniversary in Los Gatos by going to France. Kinch and his culinary team will be in Paris, Provence and Marseille from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6, where they’ll collaborate with their hosts on French-inspired menus.
“I’ve been inspired by the people, culture, ingredients and cooking of France,” Kinch said in a news release. “For this reason, it makes sense to pay tribute to this country and its culture, which has influenced me in such positive ways, on the 15th anniversary of Manresa.”
Although Manresa will be closed during the trip to France, diners will likely see some new menu inspirations when it reopens. Visit manresarestaurant.com.
Eighties babies free nude weekend
The clothing-optional Lupin Lodge resort in the Santa Cruz Mountains celebrates its 82nd anniversary Saturday and Sunday with an outdoor lawn concert, nude volleyball tournament, balloon costume party and dance, kids’ activities, body painting and an art reception.
“We wanted to have fun and celebrate our lifestyle of body acceptance,” Event Coordinator Cindy Gregory said in a news release.
Anyone born in 1935 gets in free this weekend, as do people born in the 1980s.
Lupin is at 20600 Aldercroft Heights Rd. in unincorporated Los Gatos. Visit lupinlodge.com.
Sidewalk sale Saturday
The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce is reminding locals that the annual End-of-Summer Sidewalk Sale takes place Saturday, when merchants across town are encouraged to clear out their inventories by offering discounts of as much as 75 percent off.
The Chamber, by the way, is incorporating the annual Fall Wine Walk into a larger event, featuring beer, food, live music and, of course, wine and shopping.
The new event will be held from 1-7 p.m. Sept. 23 and is called “Eat Drink Los Gatos.”
“People can sip, stroll, eat and dance their way way down North Santa Cruz Avenue because we’ll be closing a portion of the street during the event,” Chamber executive director Catherine Somers said.
North Santa Cruz will be closed between Main and Royce streets.
Tickets are $45 in advance, $50 on the day of “Eat Drink Los Gatos.” Purchase tickets at losgatoschamber.com.
