When Catherine Wojick’s husband, Tech Sgt. Edward Wojick, an U.S. Air Force reservist and full-time civil engineer was deployed to Afghanistan a year ago, Catherine knew she needed to spend more time at home with her four kids.
She worked fulltime as an industrial engineer at Northrop Grumman in Manhattan Beach, but when home with her family, one of her favorite activities was baking.
“When I lived in Boise, Idaho I’d pull the kids around the neighborhood in a little wagon and pass out papers selling things I could bake,” Catherine said. “Since then I’ve been doing it off-and-on for years.”
In the back of her mind, she always knew she wanted to open a little storefront and sell her wares.
“It was always something I wanted to do,” Catherine said. “So I decided to quit my job at Northrop Grumman and three months ago opened this place.”
Tucked in an inconspicuous building at 1208 Artesia Blvd, her shop – Savory n Sweets, is almost unnoticeable if you don’t know it’s there. A little chalkboard sign sits outside the door advertising the day’s specials, and two small chairs circle a colorful square table on the other side of the door.
Her motto, “Bringing food to you with a vintage style,” is highlighted inside the shop with its simple farmhouse-kitchen vibe. Two blue cake stands show off her famous double chocolate with mint frosting cupcakes and chocolate croissants while a square tin features a plethora of small blueberry, cherry and peach pies. Large black and white photos of her family cover the shop’s walls and repurposed vintage finds both decorative and functional decorate the space.
“I scour flea markets and repurpose everything,” said Catherine.
While she sells her baked goods in the storefront across from Mira Costa High School, they are truly homemade.
“I cook at home at night and go to bed between midnight and 1 a.m. and I’m back up at 4:45 a.m.,” Catherine said. “I don’t make huge quantities and try to change it up everyday… I don’t like baking the same things everyday.”
If there are any baked goods left at the end of the day she either brings them home for her family or gives them to a woman who distributes them to local homeless shelters.
Her shop also sells coffee as well as fresh, green salads and sandwiches –which is particularly successful when school is in session.
“Nothing’s over $3,” she said. “I want kids to come in and get good stuff to eat.”
Her twin daughters, juniors at Mira Costa High School, Regan and Reed still live at home and help their mom in the shop and at their home bakery.
“I think it’s good she’s following her dream,” said Reed. “She’s passionate about it and it’s nice to see her happy.”
Regan said she thinks what her mom’s doing is inspiring.
“It teaches us to do what we want to do in life,” said Regan.
Their favorite things their mother bakes are her blueberry pie bars and croissants.
“And the house smells like a bakery at night,” added Reed.
The twins both spend time in the shop helping her mother sell her baked goods. Her other kids, Taylor and Chas don’t live at home anymore, but they help their mother when they can.
“It’s time consuming, but she has time to talk to us while she’s baking at home,” said Regan. “And it’s nice to see that she doesn’t dread going to work.”
For Catherine, it was important to spend more time with her family while pursuing her dream.
“As much as I enjoyed the salary of an engineer, I like to bake and hear people say its nummy,” Catherine said. “It shows my daughters and son that doing something simple might be good for the family – plus they’re learning to bake and cook.”
Savory n Sweets offers a boxed lunch option the South Bay Concert Series as well as event catering. Visit http://www.savorynsweets.com/ for more information. The shop is located at 1208 Artesia Blvd in Hermosa Beach. ER
