At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Olea Oliva! owner Smita Daya had to pivot, like many business owners did.
Her gourmet spices, olive oil and balsemic vinegar “taproom” at The Avenue East Cobb is an expansion of the initial space she leased at what is now the Vanilla Café e Gelato.
Equipped with a full kitchen for her cooking workshops, Daya used it to prepare meals for health care workers at the Wellstar East Cobb Health Park.
This past weekend, to mark four years in the new space and seven years in business, Daya offered complimentary tastings of the plant-based, olive oil-rich diet she has been passionate about spreading since she first opened her doors.
She served roasted butternut squash soup and salad to anyone who sat down at the table during a special anniversary celebration on Saturday.
She got the squash from nearby Martin’s Garden at Coleman Farms, blending in fresh ginger and turmeric and a homemade pesto of arugula, basil and smoked olives, then topped it with some seed oil.
Her husband Dilip greeted customers in the front who peruse the counter tops with a wide variety of olive oils, balsamic vinegars, spices, herbal teas and other artisanal food items.
The kitchen is where she offers cooking workshops. The author of a 2018 book on healthy cooking, Daya said being able to offer more of those in-person events has been a big part of the evolution of Olea Oliva! into what she first envisioned.
The store also carries some boutique wines, and has started a wine club that includes in-store tasting events.
While adaptations have been continuous, she said her formula for success is a simple one:
“You just keep at it, you just keep working,” Daya said.
Olea Oliva!
4475 Roswell Road
Suite 1725
Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
This is the first in an occasional series of stories about East Cobb businesses marking anniversaries, and how they’ve adapted to changes prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic and closures.
If you’d like to suggest a business for East Cobb News to profile, contact us: editor@eastcobbnews.com.
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