“I always liked to bake,” Trang Tran said. “When I would bake cakes people would always say that they had a very harmonious quality about them.”
Tran, the youngest of three sisters, lived in Springfield, Mass. before starting her family restaurant—Sweet Harmony—in Middletown five years ago. After majoring in French and Economics at Mount Holyoke College, Tran dabbled in many professions in search of her own niche and purpose. Before Sweet Harmony, Tran worked for UPS, McDonalds and Avon Farms Hotel, but she found all of them unrewarding.
“I have worked everywhere to get where I am today,” she said.
Since her junior year abroad in France, however, she had always loved baking pastries. She finally found work designing wedding cakes and quickly realized how much she enjoyed baking.
Although she knew she wanted to spend more time baking, Tran also wanted to incorporate her sense of spirituality into her next job. So she set her own goals, hoping to convert her talents into a full-time career. After meeting with her two older sisters, Tran decided to create a family business. Her older sister, Laura, provided the financial backing, and in October 2003 her goals turned into reality when Sweet Harmony moved into 158 Broad St.
Tran believes that the business was part of a larger spiritual vision.
“God pointed me to Middletown and opened the door for me to start this company,” she said.
Even though her sister Laura is stationed at a United States Army base in Germany, she designed the menu and is still very much involved in the restaurant. Tran’s oldest sister has a more hands-on role: she works part-time in the café and makes all the soups.
Sweet Harmony is based on the premise that its customers should feel at home and comfortable while eating, dining and mingling with friends and family. The small tables, large windows and living room-style chairs provide a small, close-knit space where people can unwind.
“We want this to be like family and a home away from home,” Tran said.
The café actively caters to families, featuring a kids’ corner where children can play, as well as a children’s menu. The restaurant also offers a bakery up front for those with a sweet tooth, along with the Ladybug boutique, which sells seasonal trinkets, wall-hangings and other house decorations. In addition, the café tries to attract customers with events including Ladies Night Out and live music on Fridays.
Tran noted that many students frequent the café, especially on Thursday nights when the café offers a 15 percent discount for Wesleyan students.
She spoke proudly of Sweet Harmony’s ability to connect with students by making them feel at home in Middletown.
“If we catch them by their freshman year, they usually become regulars,” she said. “But when seniors leave they are always reluctant to say goodbye for good.”
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