A Delicious HERstory
Sweet Mona’s
Story & Photography by Bijan Mitchell
Chocolate—a delicacy rich in history, versatility, and comfort, has the power to conjure up stories from our past while creating new ones. On Whidbey Island, you don’t have to look too far for a treat, finding it in the vibrant yellow and orange grotto that is Sweet Mona’s Chocolates.
Walking into Sweet Mona’s, you are immediately greeted with the warm, welcoming smells of chocolate perfection. Suddenly, it’s as if your heart feels lighter as you take in every surface covered in delicious confections—from hard candies to gooey caramels. No matter your taste, there is something to soothe every soul coming through the door. But to really appreciate Sweet Mona’s, you should start where all good stories do, at the beginning.
Ramona “Mona” Newbauer’s once upon a time began when her eldest son, Phillip, went to the local bakery and announced that his mom wanted to make chocolate truffles for them. Except, as Mona is quick to point out, she had never mentioned wanting to make truffles for the local bakery. “I was like a deer in the headlights. I really didn’t even know how to spell truffle,” recalled Mona, laughing as she remembered the shock and confusion she
