By Aleesia Benkey
More than two years ago, Andra and Kyle Corral first connected with the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center Network (OCIE SBDC), seeking help opening their dream business. Andra is a trained pastry chef who always dreamed of opening her own bakery, and Kyle and their family motivated her to take action.
On January 1, 2023, Andra and Kyle opened Cookies N Pints in Historic Downtown Upland. What once was a dream became a sweet reality. To celebrate their first year in business, Cookies N Pints hosted a grand opening event on December 9. Surrounded by community members, elected officials, and local business owners, Andra and Kyle said thank you to the OCIE SBDC and the Upland community for their support along the way.
With the support of OCIE SBDC business consultants Robert Usher and Carla Panzera, the Corrals were positioned to succeed. “From the beginning, Andra and Kyle took the initiative to get things done. Over two years of consulting, they went through multiple city sponsored grant and funding programs with the OCIE SBDC and showed the perseverance to get where they are today,” shared Robert.
The Corral family has always loved Historic Downtown Upland and knew it would be a perfect place to plant their roots. “We love the small tight-knit community that Upland is, and we appreciate the organizations that support its growth,” said Kyle.
The OCIE SBDC and the city of Upland connected the Corrals to resources and opportunities for building their small business. “We have been able to take online classes from industry professionals through the SBDC that helped us grow our business. We continue to learn about valuable resources the more we get involved,” said Andra.
Andra and Kyle are committed to building their small business not for themselves, but for their children and their community. “It’s not so much what we’re doing, it’s about who we’re doing it for. We’re doing it for our family and our community. We’re here as a part of the community and we are here to stay,” said Kyle.
Cookies N Pints is open Tuesday through Sunday at 181 N. 2nd Ave., Upland, California. Find them on Instagram as @Cookiesnpints.
Looking to start or grow your own food-based small business?
Connect with the OCIE SBDC today. We offer business consulting, training, and access to resources to entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties at no cost. As the go-to resource for small businesses, the OCIE SBDC solutions and opportunities for all small businesses to become successful. Call 1-800-616-7232 or schedule a 15-minute intake appointment.
