Oya Chocolates

Oya Chocolates is our small setup over on 16Th Road in Santacruz West. We are right opposite Rotary Park, which is a nice view to have when we step out for a break. The shop is at 7-Ahiya. Inside, we are usually busy with wrapping or tempering. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze when we have a lot of orders to get out. We aren't some high-end boutique with marble floors. It’s just a practical space where we do our work. We use a lot of foil and paper. Sometimes the machines act up and we have to spend the afternoon fixing them instead of making sweets. That’s how it goes when you’re running a small business. We’ve been in this neighborhood for a bit now and we like the people here. They stop by to say hello even if they aren't buying anything. We don't have a big marketing budget or anything like that. We just rely on making something decent and hoping people come back. It’s a lot of standing on our feet and checking temperatures. Our hands are usually sticky by the end of the shift. We aren't trying to be fancy. We just want to make chocolates that we’d want to eat ourselves. It’s a bit chaotic at times, especially during the holidays, but we manage to get through it. We aren't looking for fame, just a steady stream of satisfied people in the neighborhood.