For every little girl that dreams of being a princess, Jacqueline Coe will make it a reality.
As owner of Sugar and Spice Party Planners, Coe has been coordinating themed children’s birthday parties with much success at her clients’ homes. However, as word spread and business grew, she received more and more inquiries from parents who did not want to have the celebration at their own home. So Coe decided that the time was right to open up her own shop where she could host the birthday parties as well as other special events.
After looking at several different locations, she found the perfect place at 3 Marble St., the former home of Il Bello Vino.
“I fell in love with the spot,” she said of the waterfront setting, which will have a Victorian English rose garden theme. “It really looks like you’re going to grandma’s for tea.”
Tea parties, princess parties and fairy parties will be the staple offerings for Coe’s younger clients. Geared towards ages 4 to 10 years old, they each allow the party-goers to dress-up, do a craft and have “tea” (often chocolate milk or lemonade) using real china and linens. Coe also teaches the girls manners and formal dining etiquette.
“I wanted to give something to the girls for a birthday party that didn’t concentrate on them being all grown up,” she said. “I wanted to give them something innocent, sweet, and fun and special.”
For those girls that are a bit older, Coe offers “tween” party themes including spa makeovers, where guests make their own facial treatments, yoga parties and diva parties, complete with a walk down the red carpet.
Besides hosting parties at the new location, Coe will continue to do parties in people’s homes including her popular cooking classes where children make their own pizza dough. She also does party themes popular with boys such as jungle parties, dinosaur parties and wizard parties for those Harry Potter fans.
Coe coordinates everything including set-up, gift opening, favors and clean-up.
“You’re really hiring your own personal party planner,” she said. “The people that have had a party with me absolutely adore it. You don’t have to go to the big box birthday store. You don’t have to do the same thing over and over. Our slogan is ‘If you can dream it up, we can make it happen.'”
In addition to birthday parties, the new location will also allow Coe to host other special events for children. A free toddler story time will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday July 24. A teddy bear tea is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday July 25 and a Mommy & Me tea will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday July 31.
Future events include a make-your-own teddy bear tea, holiday-themed activities, “charm school” classes to teach formal etiquette and “princess powder hours,” which provide for exclusive use of the shop for a personal princess transformation.
“The sky’s the limit,” Coe said, whose Baldwinsville roots run deep. Her parents used to own the former Hannon’s Country Inn (now Kowalski’s) in Seneca Knolls and she herself has been in the restaurant business her whole life. Coe said having her own business in the Baldwinsville community is a dream come true.
“The response that I’ve had is overwhelming. The Baldwinsville community is amazing. It’s why I live here.”
An open house will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. this Saturday (July 7) in conjunction with Seneca River Days. In addition to seeing the new shop, visitors can make a craft and receive information about upcoming events and party discounts. For more details, visit snsparties.com or call 720-6043.
