ABOUT

My Story 

Chocolate has been my favorite food for as long as I can remember. Growing up in former Yugoslavia, now Croatia, chocolate was a luxury. My earliest memory of chocolate was when I went to Sunday school and the priest had a small, wafer-thin chocolate bar to share with the youngest children.  To this day, I would rather have one good piece of chocolate than anything else. 

In 1987, I visited my aunt and uncle in New York City and immediately knew I wanted to live in this country. The opportunities seemed endless. I returned home to finish college, but by age 24, I had earned enough money to buy a ticket to America. 

I started working at a candy store in New York and I always knew that I could make chocolates that would taste better. I began experimenting and just kept working until I developed my unique blend. One summer, when I visited my relatives in Cleveland, I unexpectedly fell in love and decided to stay here. My future husband, John, understood my passion. I wanted to make great chocolate and I already had a name for my store: Sweet Designs Chocolatier. 

In December 1995, Sweet Designs Chocolatier opened in a small corner store in Lakewood, Ohio.  Fortunately, my customers loved my chocolates as much as I loved making them. We now offer over 80 different chocolates, from truffles and hand-dipped fruit to nut clusters and caramels for our loyal customers in NE Ohio and across the country. 

Few things give you the pure enjoyment of great chocolate. The wonderful aroma, the smooth rich texture and the incomparable taste all combine to make great chocolate one of life's truly satisfying experiences. I hope that you enjoy eating my chocolates as much as I enjoy making them! 

Celebrate life with chocolate! 

Ines Rehner 

Founder, Owner, Master Chocolatier