Stefanie’s Sweet Shop display case is always filled with heavenly tasting cakes, cookies, can-dy decorated with imaginative and intricate icings, and there’s always something special for all the holidays. If you like Heath Bars, you’ll love her almond roca. It’s quickly becoming a customer favorite.
Laura Dean Bennett
Staff Writer
Stefanie Penno is the perfect example of the entrepreneurial spirit.
A little over two years ago, the Penno family – Shawn, Stefanie and their two children – threw caution to the wind and made a really big move.
They pulled up stakes and left their home in Blaine, Washington – in the northwest corner of the U.S., near the Canadian border – to come east to the mountains of wild, wonderful West Virginia.
The Pennos were looking for a change of pace – a slower lifestyle in a small community with a reasonable cost of living. And considering the fact that Shawn works remotely for a Canadian customs freight company – clearing lumber coming into the U.S. – they needed good Internet.
They were searching the web on Zillow for property in the region, when a thumbnail picture of a stately house in Marlinton, caught their attention.
“When we opened it up and saw the interior photos, we were blown away,” Penno enthused.
“We said ‘Whoa!’
“It was so beautiful. It really spoke to us.
“We did a virtual tour with our realtor and just fell in love. We bought the house without ever having stepped foot in it.
“We decided to just take a chance.
“We decided to just take the plunge and make the move. You know, try it and see if it works out,” Penno said, smiling.
In September of 2021, the Penno family came to live in Marlinton.
They moved into their new home – known locally as “the Horton House” or “the Yeager House,” depending on your age.
And they have happily settled into the community.
“Pocahontas County is so different from where we came from,” Penno exclaimed.
“It’s refreshing to be in a smaller community like this where people are so kind, so friendly and neighborly.
“It’s wonderful that people are never too busy to stop and talk.”
Her sixteen year old son, Shawn, is attending Pocahontas County High School. He’s into computers, technology and computer games.
Eleven year old Alivia is quite the artist. She loves to draw and paint. In fact, she made a sign for her mom’s bakery, Stefanie’s Sweet Shop.
“It was hard for the kids to leave their friends, but they’re adjusting,” Penno said.
In addition to the two children, the Penno family includes two dogs – an Australian Shepherd named Shiloh, a Cairn Terrier Mix named Toto – and a smokey gray cat named Coal.
The dogs made the cross-country trek with the Pennos, but the cat was a more recent acquisition.
“Coal picked us,” Penno laughed. “He used to belong to our neighbors, but for some reason, he decided to move in with us.
“Coal thinks he’s a dog. He goes for walks around the neighborhood with us and, apparently, he’s making a name for himself. When the neighbors see us out walking without Coal, they always ask where he is.”
Almost as soon as they arrived, the couple set about buying some rental property in Marlinton and one of the properties was a commercial building on the outskirts of Marlinton – in Edray – just past the Senior Citizens Center.
It was their intention to continue renting the building to its then occupants, but when the renters’ plans changed, so did the Pennos’.
There they were with a commercial building and there was Stefanie Penno with a lifetime of baking experience.
And here’s where her entrepreneurial spirit kicked in.
“Everyone was telling me I should open up a bakery. So I did,” she laughed.
“Things have been fairly busy since the move,” Penno said, in what might be the understatement of the year.
“Shawn is still working for the same company. He’s able to do his work from home and it keeps him very busy.”
But then there’s everything else they are doing.
With half the building dedicated to the bakery, the Pennos needed to decide what to do with the other half. It had previously been Buckeye Variety, a thrift shop which customers continued to come in and ask about.
Over on the bakery side, Penno was fielding questions from disappointed customers about Buckeye Variety, so she decided to re-open it as a consignment/thrift/antique store. It is now Marlinton Mercantile.
There is an “Adopt-A-Pet” department at Marlinton Mercantile – a corner of the shop filled with recycled stuffed animals, any of which children may take home with them for free.
In addition to getting the shop and the bakery established, the couple own residential rental property in Marlinton and (“there’s always a tenant needing something”), and as if that’s not enough to keep them occupied, they’ve been remodeling the kitchen at their house.
Nothing exceeds like excess.
“We always have something to do!” Penno exclaimed.
The couple would enjoy exploring around the county and certainly need a little down time, but they’ve been so busy, there hasn’t been much time or energy for it.
But they are happy they made the move.
“We love it here, and we plan to live here for the rest of our lives,” Penno said.
Penno’s deft hand in the kitchen might be a result of both nature and nurture, as baking prowess runs in the family.
Her mother and grandmother kept their homes filled with the delicious aroma of baked goods –cookies, cakes, bread and candy. She learned the art from them at a young age, and she’s been replicating family recipes ever since.
“My mom and grandmom taught me everything – how to make the best cookies, cakes, bread and candy,” Penno said.
“I started baking when I was twelve years old,” she added, smiling as she recalled fond memories with pride.
“By the time I was fourteen, I was making cakes on my own.
“My mom always made the most wonderful candy for the holidays so, of course, I learned that from her, too.”
Penno always enjoyed baking, but had no idea that her baking would, one day, become a marketable skill.
“My friends all told me that my baking was good enough to open a shop, and wouldn’t you know it, here I am, actually in my own bake shop.
“I’ve always used a lot of my mom’s recipes,” Penno said.
One of her mom’s recipes has turned out to be a Stefanie’s Sweet Shop favorite.
“My mom’s almond roca is quickly becoming one of my most popular items.
“My customers just love it.
“It’s delicious and addicting.
“If you like Heath Bars, you’ll love my almond roca.”
The Sweet Shop’s display case is always filled with heavenly tasting cakes, cookies, candy decorated with imaginative and intricate icings, and there’s always something special for all the holidays.
With Easter coming up, Stefanie’s Sweet Shop will be sure to be offering a wide variety of Penno’s elaborately decorated treats.
“For Easter, I’ll be making chocolate bunnies, peanut butter eggs, caramel eggs, molded and hand-dipped chocolates,” Penno said.
There’ll be cakes and cookies – iced cookies are kind of a Stefanie’s Sweet Shop specialty.
“And there’ll be cookie trays and, as usual, I’ll be taking special orders, too,” she added.
When she’s not baking up a storm in the kitchen of Stefanie’s Sweet Shop, Penno is taking care of things next door, in her thrift shop, Marlinton Mercantile.
In the Marlinton Mercantile, you will find an inviting assemblage of both new and old miscellanies that Penno buys or takes on consignment – antiques, used furniture, housewares, glassware and all manner of furnishings.
The store shares the same building with the bakery.
It’s an inviting assemblage of both new and old miscellanies where Penno buys and takes on consignment antiques, used furniture, housewares, glassware and all manner of furnishings.
“We have a little of everything here, except clothes, we don’t deal in a lot of clothing,” Penno said.
There’s something for everyone at Marlinton Mercantile.
“I like to keep the prices reasonable so everyone, no matter who they are, can afford something,” Penno explained.
For youngsters visiting the shops, there’s Penno’s ‘Adopt-A-Pet’ department – a corner of the shop filled with recycled stuffed animals, any of which children may take home with them for free.
Anyone who has a stuffed animal to add to Penno’s collection is most welcome to do so, “and we’ll gladly re-home them,” Penno said.
And there’s a charming seating arrangement – a setee and chairs – near the bakery counter where customers of either shop may relax and enjoy a cup of coffee with a sweet treat.
When you arrive at either shop and you’re not greeted by Stefanie Penno herself, it probably means she has something just coming out of the oven.
It doesn’t have to be a holiday or a special occasion to stop at Stefanie’s Sweet Shop. After all, bringing a few sweet treats home for yourself or the family can turn even the most ordinary day into a special day.
“And anyone on a diet needn’t worry,” Penno laughed.
“I always take all the calories out!”
Find Stefanie’s Sweet Shop on Facebook.
The phone number for Stefanie’s Sweet Shop and the Marlinton Mercantile is 304-427-0019. The address is 20772 Seneca Trail.
The store hours for both shops are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
