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The Clifton residents, who have been best friends since elementary school, recently opened Sweet n' Cake at 457 Clifton Ave. It is the second location for the duo, who opened their first storefront in Paterson earlier this year.
Rivera and Ardila's journey as business partners began in February 2020, when they started making smaller treats like chocolate covered strawberries.
A month later, the pandemic hit and the two were left wondering what to do. They decided to continue with the business and used the pandemic to get better, and started experimenting with baked goods, making cakes and cupcakes.
Using their family as guinea pigs, Rivera, 29, and Ardila, 30, earned enough of a following that they were able to do weddings and other events, and opened a storefront in Paterson in February 2023. The Clifton location opened in mid-October.
"Compared to Paterson, our location is a lot bigger," Rivera said. 'We're able to have customers hang out. We have more variety.
"We have freshly baked breads and different kinds of croissants, along with brownies and sweet tarts. We saw this opportunity and decided to go for it."
Rivera said people in Clifton are friendly, and she loves how diverse the community is.
"We try to have something for everyone," Rivera said. "It's great seeing people we're familiar with and see them come to our shop. We value their feedback, we want to know what they like."
Popular items include the cake tres leches de chocolate and cake tres leches de maracuya. Rivera said they work to make sure their desserts and baked goods aren't overly sweet to the point they become inedible.
In Clifton, Rivera said customers love the brownies and donuts. She said running her own bakery means endless temptation.
"We want to give our customers the best," she said, "and we have to taste it before we give it to them."
Sweet n Cake is located at 387 21st Ave., in Paterson, and 457 Clifton Ave., in Clifton.
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