DIPPED FROM A TO Z
In early spring of 2021, Amy was on a mission to find unique dessert gifts to spark a little joy. After searching sweet shops and coming up empty, she began creating custom chocolate boxes herself.
Her first creations were chocolate-covered matzo and chocolate seder plates for Passover, along with candy kebobs and custom-name chocolate bars for Easter. They were an instant hit and led to her first big request—to create desserts for a bat mitzvah.
From there, Amy took off. She began designing custom platters with cookie assortments. That’s when she realized: “Wow, this could really turn into something special.” And with that, Dipped from A to Z was born, named after her two kids, Ashley and Zach. “I decided to see how far I could take this,” Amy recalls. As word spread and orders poured in, Amy expanded beyond simple desserts. Today, Dipped from A to Z offers cookies, themed classes, birthday parties, candy walls, cookie walls, dessert bars, and more. “I’ve been blown away by the love and support from this community,” she says. “It’s incredible to see how everyone rallies around you, cheering you on to grow and succeed.”
To order, visit @dippedfromatoz
HEAD TO TAIL BOOKS
Michele has always loved books— she went to library school, worked with rare book libraries while earning her master’s, and served as the special collections cataloging librarian at Columbia University. So it was no surprise that she wanted to parlay her expertise in rare books into her new venture, Head to Tail Books, which offers rare and collectible books and launched in January 2023.
At Head to Tail (the name comes from her dog, Luna, who served as inspiration for the logo, and the fact that the top of a book is the head, while the bottom is the tail), you’ll find everything from vintage editions of classics to meticulously bound miniature books. “I love to get my hands on the books and make them available to people. And I love knowing that a book has found a good home.”
To see Michele’s current inventory, visit headtotailbooks.com
MARKETPLACE MAMAS
When Kelli and Amber met at a dinner, they realized they had a unique shared interest: helping people sell their things. “We started talking about how friends were asking us to sell things for them. And we joked— oh, maybe we’ll start a business one day doing it,” says Kelli. As time went on, they say, more people started asking for help, and the joke turned into something real— Marketplace Mamas, which launched in early 2024.
Sellers reach out to the duo with an item— which should have a resale value of at least $100— and Amber and Kelli do the rest. They take photos and measurements, write item descriptions, calculate pricing, and monitor the listing to help guarantee the item sells. (They can also sell items long-distance if the seller provides enough photos and information.) “Once a sale is confirmed, we coordinate with the buyer, we can meet with them for you, and even hire movers for you,” says Amber. Their model is commission-based: “It’s a win-win. We don’t make money unless you make money, and we’re helping families reduce waste.”
Since Marketplace Mamas launched, they’ve been having a blast. “It’s such a passion of ours,” says Kelli. They've sold everything from a full-sized shed that found a second life as a goat shelter to high-end pieces from recent home renovations that designers and homeowners ended up not needing. “There’s nothing too unique!” says Amber. “I love the thrill of selling an item with a lot of life left in it. It’s really fulfilling.”
To work with them, visit @mktplacemamas
SUGARKRISP
On New Year’s Eve in 2022, friends Melissa and Rachel were trying to think of a cute, festive dessert for their kids. “We thought, ‘why don't we come up with something that looks like sushi?’” recalls Melissa. The candy-and-Rice-Krispies sushi platter, which they served that night, was a smash. “People loved it,” Melissa says. They decided to go official with SugarKrisp, a play on famed NYC sushi eatery Sugar Fish. Things took off from there. “People started reaching out about party favors, weddings, bridal showers, any kind of fun event,” says Melissa.
SugarKrisp has become a nationwide phenomenon. They attribute their success to networking— Melissa says in the early days they connected with lots of local sites (a boon was being featured on CTBites) and Westporters like Craig Melvin, who helped Melissa and Rachel get SugarKrisp featured on the TODAY Show. “Within 30 seconds, we were getting orders from Hawaii,” says Rachel. “It was exciting!” You can order platters and bento boxes for local delivery or nationwide shipping, and they do wholesale as well. “When a client receives a platter and we get a message saying ‘my kid was so happy, you made the birthday party,’ that makes me feel so good,” Melissa says.
To order, visit sugarkrisp.com
“I’ve been blown away by the love and support from this community."
"I love knowing a book has found a home.”