31 Jan L-O-V-E=Success: A Marietta Valentine’s Day Story
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Marietta’s community of business owners celebrates the spirit of love. In this second annual blog post, we invite you to discover the love stories that unfold behind the storefronts and businesses of Marietta. Get ready to be inspired by these couples.
Happy Valentine’s Day! We interviewed Cody and Lauren Bolden from Pie Bar, Red Hare’s Roger and Bertha Davis, and Philip and Vicky Savrin from Cafe Rivkah, asking them to share their experience of running a business as a married couple. We couldn’t resist having the couples reveal their idea of the perfect Valentine’s Day date right here in Marietta. Love is flourishing on the Square!
Cody & Lauren Bolden / Pie Bar Marietta
How long have you been together?
Cody and I had our first date in 2006 when we were both 16 years old. It included an ice cream cone and a drive around our small town before he dropped me off in time for my curfew at 9pm. We’re both 34 now, so we’ve been together for 18 years. Since we’ve been together, the ice cream has been replaced by pie, but I still like to get home by 9pm.
How long have you been in business in Marietta?
We opened Pie Bar in the Marietta Square in August 2020. In January of that same year, we signed the lease for our tiny 800 sq ft shop at the end of Powder Springs Street, and at the time we had no idea that we were less than two months away from the start of a global pandemic. Since our opening in 2020, we’ve been serving sweet pie and coffee seven days a week to folks visiting the Square, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
How do you work together as a couple?
We opened our first location in Downtown Woodstock in 2015 and since then we have added our Commissary Kitchen in Kennesaw and our Shop in the Marietta Square. Over the past 8+ years, our roles have shifted with the needs of our business and our family. In the beginning, Cody focused on turning my hobby (baking pies!) into a sustainable and profitable business. He spent the majority of his time interacting with guests and keeping me on budget. For the first four years, I spent almost every day in our kitchen prepping and baking our sweet and savory pies. Working so closely together for many years allowed us to figure out one another’s work style and what was most important to each of us. Over the past year, our roles have shifted as our leadership team has grown and we had our first child, Rose. This has meant less hands-on time in our shops and the kitchen and more time behind the scenes for both of us.
What do you love most about Marietta?
I love the variety of locally owned businesses that make up the Marietta Square. There is a blend of new places mixed with shops that have been around for more than a decade. As the owner of a small business in the Square it is encouraging to see new business growth alongside strong established shops because it proves that the Square is a place that attracts interesting and unique ideas (hello, Marietta Proper!) while simultaneously supporting legacy businesses like my personal favorite spot on the Square, The Local Exchange.
What would make up a “perfect” Valentine’s Day date in Marietta for you?
The perfect Valentine’s Day date for us would start by grabbing a coffee from Sessions Stand and spending a little time roaming around the neighborhood daydreaming about the historic houses that lead into the Square. From there we would pop into Park West Vintage and Cody and I would debate back and forth on how many records would be considered “too many records” (him: the limit does not exist.) We would have a quick bite at Two Birds before ending our date at Pie Bar with a slice of Brown Sugar Chess Pie and a cappuccino for me and a slice of Apple Streusel Pie “all the way” (warmed up and served with ice cream) for him.
Any Valentine’s Day specials at Pie Bar?
We LOVE love, so of course we have to celebrate it with lots of pie. We have two specials for Valentine’s 2024. From February 9th – February 14th we will have a Strawberry Cheesecake Pie (with strawberry whipped cream!) and a Valentine’s Pastry Box that is perfect for two people (in love or not) to share. We recommend pre-ordering, but if you forget, we will have limited walk-ins each day of both specials. Orderpiebar.com
Philip & Vicky Savrin / Cafe Rivkah
Cafe Rivkah, located in the Pavilions at Eastlake shopping center on Roswell Road, lives up to its slogan of being “Your Neighborhood Cafe with a Mediterranean Flair,” serving breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Sunday. Customer favorites include challah French toast, eggs benedict, focaccia sandwiches, as well as our assortment of coffees, both hot and iced. All the breads, pastries, and gourmet desserts are baked daily on the premises. Catering is also a part of the business, especially for holidays, family events, and office functions.
How long have you been together?
We met in June 2007 and got married almost exactly three years later, at the Stanley House off Marietta Square in June 2010. So we’re going on 17 years together and 14 years married.
How long have you lived and been in business in Marietta?
Phil moved to Marietta from Dekalb County in 1998 and has been a Cobb County resident ever since. We began selling breads and pastries at the Marietta Square Farmers Market in 2021 and opened Cafe Rivkah for business in March 2023.
What are your roles in your business?
Vicky is the heart and soul of Cafe Rivkah — in fact, Rivkah is the Hebrew name she took upon converting to Judaism. Vicky learned the fundamentals of cooking from her grandmother in the Philippines and has a talent for preparing all types of cuisines after living and traveling in South America, Europe, and the Middle East. Operating her own café is Vicky’s dream come true. And although Phil works full time as an attorney for Freeman Mathis & Gary in Cobb County, he sells at the Marietta Square Farmers Market on Saturdays and can be seen regularly at the cafe on weekends doing everything from cashiering to washing dishes. It is truly a cooperative effort between us both.
What do you love most about Marietta?
Without a doubt, it’s the small town feel. Although Marietta is part of the Atlanta area, it has a quaint square at its center surrounded by small businesses. We love the excellent schools that attract young families, they are the future of our community, as well as the recreation centers, arts facilities, entertainment venues, and so much more — everything we need is right at our doorstep!
What would make up a “perfect” Valentine’s Day date in Marietta for you?
Our date would begin with dinner at one of the many fine restaurants around the Marietta Square, followed by a concert or play at The Strand. But not too late because our baking starts at 4 am!
Any Valentine’s Days specials at Cafe Rivkah?
We will offer Valentine-themed desserts and pastries all week and be accepting special orders for cakes and other treats that can be picked up before the big day. Order forms will be available at the café and on our website. Order at Cafe Rivkah.
Roger & Bertha Davis / Red Hare Brewing
Roger & Bertha Davis / Red Hare Brewing
How long have you been together?
We have been together for 27 ½ years. A year and half of dating and 26 years of marriage.
How long have you lived in Marietta?
We have called Marietta home for 20 years, except for five years when we moved to Florida.
How do you work together as a couple?
Roger is the co-founder and managing partner of Red Hare Brewing (RH). We started RH in our home kitchen and a few months later moved to the 1998 location. I have been helping from day one with the finances and special projects.
Overall, we work very well together; I think that is because we complement each other. Roger is the vision, marketing, and sales face of the business, while I am more on the operations and finance side of the process. But like any other couple, there are great days and others that are a bit more challenging. Interactions with people are the most difficult task of any job, but adding in a spouse can add another layer of perspective. But we have shared a lot over the years, adventures, successes and failures. This has made life very interesting.
What do you love most about Marietta?
The people, places, and things. The people are deeply rooted in southern hospitality, demonstrated by most everyone we meet. We are accessible to the Mountain to River Trail. It connects Kennesaw Mountain to the Historic Square. We love that all the shops and restaurants of downtown Marietta provide the simple pleasures that separate Marietta from other small towns.
What would make up a “perfect” Valentine’s Day date in Marietta for you?
A 70-degree day with abundant sunshine in the meadow at the Brumby Encampment of Kennesaw Mountain. Sitting on a blanket with Roger enjoying the afternoon sun.
Any Valentine’s Day specials at Red Hare?
We will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Special Valentine’s trivia, special beers, and themed-cocktails throughout the week. Check out our calendar of events for Red Hare.
We hope you enjoyed these stories as much as we did. Spend some time in Marietta on this Valentine’s holiday and visit these businesses where L-O-V-E=Success.