People post has been sweet treat for Sarris
Actress Sofia Vergara gave a plug to Sarris Candies in a recent People magazine.
Actress Sofia Vergara gave a plug to Sarris Candies in a recent issue of People magazine.
Joe Manganiello, the incredible hunk of an actor, has a romantic rival – Sarris Candies.
Manganiello, who grew up in Mt. Lebanon, brought a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels home to his new wife, equally gorgeous Sofia Vergara. Apparently, his timing was impeccable.
People magazine annually asks celebrities to submit their wish lists for Valentine’s Day, and before she could respond, the star of ABC-TV’s “Modern Family” took a bite, then a second – and probably a third and fourth – of the Canonsburg fare.
She was enraptured, and told millions so in the Feb. 8 issue. And now the iconic sweet shop on Adams Avenue is enraptured as well.
A year after introducing the deflated chocolate Bradie Ball, a mocking tribute to infamous New England quarterback Tom Brady, Sarris Candies is savoring another national public relations coup, one that has boosted its sales and image.
On the lower left of a page featuring a glam head-and-shoulders shot of Vergara and photo descriptions of a few of her favorite things, she said of the salty-sweet snack: “The only thing better than a box of chocolates is these delicious chocolate-covered pretzels!”
To the right of the text is a full Sarris bag, standing, with another half-dozen stacked on the outside.
Regional TV and radio stations pounced upon Sofia’s choice, but – of course – not as quickly as social media.
“It went viral very fast,” said Norm Candelore, retail operations manager for Sarris.
“Our online orders for chocolate pretzels, I’m guessing, increased 30 to 40 percent immediately. Our Facebook page had over 150,000 views.
“We’re talking about Sarris Candies in Canonsburg, Pa.”
Owner Bill Sarris is gratified that, more than a week after the magazine came out, people are still talking about People – and a rich couple and their rich dessert.
“We’re thrilled that her husband gifts her with a hometown favorite, and that she loves it enough for it to become a favorite of her own,” he said in a prepared statement.
The hubbub isn’t surprising, of course. Many people are attracted to celebrities, especially handsome celebrities – and Vergara, a native of Colombia, and Manganiello are the consummate beautiful couple. They also smile a lot, which enhances their appeal.
Although he is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and highly visible these days, Manganiello eluded attention long enough to buy the pretzels recently. Candelore said he isn’t sure where the actor did that, other than it occurred in Western Pennsylvania but not at the flagship store.
He said the company got a call from People, sent samples to the magazine, and was told Sarris would be featured in an upcoming edition.
“We kind of knew this was coming, but we didn’t know when.”
About 10 days ago, as it turned out.
Four celebrities participated in this “Gift Guide” feature: Vergara, Wendy Williams, Ashley Tisdale and Gina Rodriguez, Each listed a half-dozen or so items. Vergara was the only one to select a sweet thing.
The People piece, Candelore said, has been a delectable experience for the nearly 400 Sarris employees who work at either the store or the distribution center a few blocks away.
“They’re very proud and excited,” he said. “Everybody in the (main) building is talking about it.”
So is the public, at least in this area.
“No matter where I go,” Candelore said, “I hear about it from people. They’ve heard it on radio, seen it on TV. It’s been unreal.
“The orders are pouring in.”