My Sanford Seminole Magazine LIFESTYLE | BUSINESS | TOURISM
OWNERS OF WONDERMADE
PERLA B. CROSBY
YOU RECENTLY OPENED WONDERMADE IN DOWNTOWN SANFORD. TELL US ABOUT THAT!
Wondermade moved into the heart of downtown Sanford last December and it’s been such a great experience for us. We have had the company for years and have been lucky enough to ship marshmallows all around the world. It has always been a disappointment when we had calls from customers who wanted to visit the space but we didn’t have a front of house for them; we didn’t have a place where we could toast marshmallows and connect with people in person. So when we outgrew our previous kitchen, we knew we wanted a location that would include a cafe and we found it in Sanford. It has been an amazing experience because not only have we been able to serve and connect with customers who have stopped in to visit from all over the country, but we have also met so many neighbors. We live just blocks away from the store and even though we have been in Sanford more than a decade, it is amazing how much bigger Sanford seems because of all the neighbors we have met at Wondermade.
Recently we have begun offering field trips and Wondermade workshops that allow people from the broader community to spend a little time as “official marshmallow agents.” Repeatedly, we have heard people from Orlando or Winter Park tell us that they had no idea how great Sanford was and that has been a great experience too.
“Since the genesis for the company was an outpouring of my love for Jenn, we want to be sure we remain a place that serves that love in various practical ways.”
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WHAT IS WONDERMADE FOR YOU?
The whole idea started for us because I wanted to give Jenn a really great Christmas present. So I wrapped up a candy thermometer and a recipe for marshmallows. Just a few months later, after cooking batch after batch, we realized we wanted to start Wondermade. Since the genesis for the company was an outpouring of my love for Jenn, we want to be sure we remain a place that serves that love in various practical ways. Of course we want to make the best marshmallows and serve the best coffee around. That also means we want to be people who see those around us as people worthy of being loved and not just as possible customers.
WHAT MAKES WONDERMADE SUCCESSFUL?
We cannot say for sure what has made it work, but we have worked hard to make the best marshmallows around. We have tried to imbue the same love that led us to start the company in every part of the experience from the packaging to making the marshmallows and s’mores.
WONDERMADE IS SHIPPING AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR FUTURE BUSINESS?
We would love to see Wondermade continue to grow. We have stocked hundreds of stores around the world and shipped more than a million marshmallows last year. We are ready to see those numbers multiply. And we would really love to continue seeing Wondermade draw people to downtown Sanford so they can experience the best part of this city.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME TIPS FOR OTHER COUPLES TRYING TO BALANCE WORK, FAMILY, AND MARRIAGE?
I think we have found that a healthy balance in life is recently we have begun offering field trips and Wondermade workshops that allow people from the broader community to spend a little time as “official marshmallow agents.” Repeatedly, we have heard people from Orlando or Winter Park tell us that they had no idea how great Sanford was and that has been a great experience too.
“Since the genesis for the company was an outpouring of my love for Jenn, we want to be sure we remain a place that serves that love in various practical ways.”
WHAT IS WONDERMADE FOR YOU?
The whole idea started for us because I wanted to give Jenn a really great Christmas present. So I wrapped up a candy thermometer and a recipe for marshmallows. Just a few months later, after cooking batch after batch, we realized we wanted to start Wondermade. Since the genesis for the company was an outpouring of my love for Jenn, we want to be sure we remain a place that serves that love in various practical ways. Of course we want to make the best marshmallows and serve the best coffee around. That also means we want to be people who see those around us as people worthy of being loved and not just as possible customers.
WHAT MAKES WONDERMADE SUCCESSFUL?
We cannot say for sure what has made it work, but we have worked hard to make the best marshmallows around. We have tried to imbue the same love that led us to start the company in every part of the experience from the packaging to making the marshmallows and s’mores.
WONDERMADE IS SHIPPING AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR FUTURE BUSINESS?
We would love to see Wondermade continue to grow. We have stocked hundreds of stores around the world and shipped more than a million marshmallows last year. We are ready to see those numbers multiply. And we would really love to continue seeing Wondermade draw people to downtown Sanford so they can experience the best part of this city.
CAN YOU SHARE SOME TIPS FOR OTHER COUPLES TRYING TO BALANCE WORK, FAMILY, AND MARRIAGE?
I think we have found that a healthy balance in life is a by-product of love. When we keep God, our kids, and each other at the front of our lives, everything else seems to line up. Whenever we focus on everything else in life whether it be work or something simpler like television those things that hold the greatest value suffer tremendously.
I SAW YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY HAVING FUN HELPING. DO YOU AND JENN WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO BE AS PASSIONATE AS YOU BOTH ARE FOR THE BUSINESS AS WELL?
I think we would want our children to find themselves. We want them to connect with God and be a part of a life giving community. Right now, they love Wondermade. Of course it would be amazing for that to continue too.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE SANFORD?
We loved the downtown area, the diverse population, the lake, the green space. Over the years, we have come to enjoy bike trips to the library, watching the parades downtown, and walking to see the Fourth of July fireworks. The sights, sounds, and tastes of Sanford provide such a great backdrop for our home. In fact, when we moved a couple of years ago we decided to buy a new home just three blocks away so we have chosen Sanford as our home in more ways than one.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT LIVING AND WORKING IN SANFORD?
We moved to Sanford from downtown Winter Park more than a decade ago. We were attracted to the social and economic diversity, the city’s history, and its beautiful downtown district. There was a sense of “becoming” here; a feeling that this city’s future is still being written and that we could be a part of its story.
COME & VISIT
WONDERMADE:
1st Street Sanford, FL 32771
WONDERMADE.COM
407.205.9569
