Family brings European flare to Strathmore

By Miriam Ostermann, Associate Editor

When Deborah and Claude Solda left Strathmore two years ago to support their daughter in Lacombe, no one could have predicted the baked goods Deborah dabbled with in the kitchen would become the staple of a prosperous and trendy Italian bakery and cannoli shop, Sweet Capone’s.
Despite the venture’s success – rising employment growth of 20 staff members and combating soaring demand – the couple decided to sell their business and return to Strathmore with their eyes set on an even greater undertaking: Renaissance Bakery.
The bakery and café, which will also feature a wine bar and live entertainment, is a joint venture between the Soldas and their son Curtis and his wife Sugey.
The idea manifested itself over a glass of wine a year ago and expanded from Sweet Capone’s business model of primarily focusing on Italian goods, to expanding the palate across the European continent by showcasing recipes from Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain – mostly inspired by the Soldas own mixed heritage.
“We came back here because it’s our roots and we’ve talked about it for some time, that maybe we can do this and that Strathmore might be ready for it; there doesn’t seem to be anything like this around here,” said Deborah Solda.
“We’ve only been gone for two years but we’ve seen the changes. They’re really starting to focus on downtown. A lot of big places have moved out. It just reminded us of a real small-town feel where you have that closeness, that cosiness; there’s a theme there. People can come in and get speciality coffee they can come sit and chat and stay for a glass of wine.”
The mother of three is self-taught and credits her upbringing in a large family where she was introduced to baking and cooking at a young age, as well as spending many hours experimenting in the kitchen with her Italian mother-in-law. The tradition lent itself to the next generation where Deborah and daughter-in-law Sugey – a former English tutor student of Deborah’s who introduced the Nicaraguan native to her son over 20 years ago – have logged their own hours of overtime experimenting with recipes. As family is of utmost importance, the group is adamant about creating a homey atmosphere with much European flare. The entrepreneurs’ menu ranges from savoury to sweet, with a wide variety of speciality items including strudels, croissants, cream puffs and éclairs, various European cakes, scones, decadent chocolate ganache items, panzerotti, empanadas and frittata made with all fresh ingredients, butter, cream and the finest chocolate – Lindt and Bernard Callebaut.
The upscale bakery and café will also offer lunch items including a passed-down-for-generations family lasagne recipe and homemade paninis. They are in the process of obtaining their liquor license, and are in discussions with local artists and musicians for live entertainment.
“There’s a lot of young people and young families that go to Calgary for entertainment because we feel that we don’t have that here,” said Sugey Solda, who has lived in Strathmore with her husband and two children for 15 years. “That’s what we want to bring here, with local musicians and the atmosphere of the Renaissance. It’s still a small town but to also have the atmosphere of the city. We don’t want it to look like Calgary, we don’t want the city life, but we just want a little bit of the feel, so people don’t have to drive 45 minutes to sit down and enjoy themselves.”
For months the Soldas have dealt with obtaining permits, dealing with construction and working on design and décor for a 2,400 sq. ft. space on Third Avenue where the H&R Block used to be. The space is ideal for the Renaissance Bakery, which will be open Monday to Sunday with space for a possible patio area.
According to Curtis Solda, Strathmore’s development has not gone unnoticed and he hopes the new business venture will grow with Strathmore, will offer something for the next generation and will help shape Strathmore in the future.
With the opening date soon approaching in October, the bakery and café is in need of numerous staff members, from a pastry chef to experienced baristas, bartenders and kitchen staff.
“When they walk through the door, we want to give them an experience. It’s important for us as a family that everyone who comes through the door is treated as family,” said Deborah.
“We want to provide jobs for people in Strathmore and I hope they apply. Our last business we left with close to 20, we were very busy so I think we can do the same here. Age is not a factor. I’ve worked with seniors for a lot of years out here. Maybe some younger teens want to help out with the dishes for part time hours. We want people to talk, laugh and have fun, that’s what we want.
The Renaissance Bakery is expected to open its doors in early October. For those interested in employment opportunities can contact the owners at renaissancebakery@hotmail.com. For more information, also check out Renaissance Bakery on Facebook.