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From Rock to Choc: Rock and Roll Road Wife turns Chocolatier
Shanna McHaney • Reader Submitted • April 29, 2009
It's hard to believe that a person would choose laboring work as a chocolatier over the high flying life of a musician. However, Miley Barcus, a graduate of Belmont University, knows where the real joy in life comes from.
"I am having a grand time and every day just seems to get better," says Miley.
Miley got a taste of the music biz life being married to Brent Barcus, former lead guitarist for
Shania Twain. In between tours with Shania, the two moved to Los Angeles in pursuit of a career as a rock-n-roll duo. After several laborious years and countless demos, the two found themselves questioning their pursuit.
"We had given music our everything and we were exhausted. We felt a strong leading from God to make some serious life changes.”
Upon their decision to move back to Tennessee, Miley received her real estate license and, with her very own recipe, developed a sweet confectionery treat that she used as a gift for her clients. Soon, with the economic down turn, Miley realized many of her clients wanted to buy more of her chocolate and less of her real estate. She experimented with the creation of Wonderffuls, working with a small chocolate tempering machine in her home.
Desiring the need for some formal training, Miley attended a brief study in chocolate at The French Pastry School in Chicago. Miley's current and featured item of Merveilleux Confections is the Wonderfful, “a cross between a truffle and the best piece of cake you've ever tasted.” says Lisa Peters, VP of Marketing and Sales for Merveilleux.
A name was soon coined for her truffles when a friend tasted the treat saying, “This isn't a truffle, this is a Wonderfful!” One month after the birth of her second child, Isabella, Miley opened Merveilleux Confections, a rustic-chic chocolate boutique tucked away at The Factory in Franklin, TN.
By quick word of mouth, this one-of-a-kind confection used for gifting, is being tasted by patrons at local hotels, national corporate clients, and is now available for purchase at the newly launched online chocolate boutique
www.wonderffuls.com
When describing the success that Merveilleux Confections is experiencing, Lisa Peters says "Wonderffuls are a representation of the creativity that comes from the heavens. The reviews we've received from our corporate clients are overwhelmingly complimentary. Wonderffuls truly live up to their name!"
Looking to the future and considering the current state of the economy, Miley thoughtfully considers the days ahead.
"There is nothing that I would love more than for this company to provide jobs during this economic downturn, as well as build a business that I can pass onto my children," says Miley.
Wonderffuls can be purchased locally at Merveilleux Confections at The Factory in Franklin. Chocolate boutique hours are Monday through Friday 10-5, as well as online at
www.wonderffuls.com.