Washington County couple takes Pretzels Plus to new levels
Courtesy of Pretzels Plus
For nearly 20 years, Pretzels Plus was the go-to for a quick snack at the Washington Crown Center Mall but one year ago, Andy and Anastasia Whiteman purchased the company and exciting things began to happen.
Anastasia works in marketing and had made a connection with Pretzel Plus owners, and her husband Andy, worked for the federal government.
After a serious car accident that pushed Andy into early retirement, the couple was at a crossroads.
“We got word that he was going to retire and we knew Pretzels Plus was going to go up for sale. We bought it from them the very next day,” Anastasia said. “In our opinion, God led us to it. Sometimes you just have to listen. We put all of our faith and trust in His plan for us, and it’s been a blessing.”
From June to September of 2023, the Whiteman’s worked alongside the former owners, learning the ropes and perfecting the sourdough pretzels and legendary pepperoni rolls.
Once on their feet, they began to grow.
“We moved from a 900-square-foot location at the mall to our own, 3,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar location at 189 S. Main St. and celebrated the grand opening of the new location in April,” Anastasia said.
They also expanded the menu, offering much more than sourdough pretzels.
“Now we do pretzels but have added an Amish Market and an Ice Cream Shop. We have sliced deli meats, pasta salads, Amish jarred goods, cinnamon rolls, and we’re partnering with a couple of local vendors, too,” Anastasia said. “It’s been a huge blessing and growth in a short period of time.”
For customers who want the tried and true they’ve come to expect, the classic sourdough pretzels aren’t going away anytime soon.
In fact, the Whitemans said they remain among the top sellers. They’ve added some new flavors as well, including caramel glazed, sour cream and onion, pizza and salt and vinegar.
The pepperoni rolls are still quite popular, and Anastasia’s pasta salads, based off of her mother-in-law’s recipes, fly off the shelf.
Still, Pretzels Plus is about more than just the food.
The couple are proud to be a veteran-owned business. Andy served in the Marine Corps, and they’re doing what they can to support and encourage other veterans.
“Being veteran owned is a big deal to us. We have a military wall and ask the community to submit photos of your veteran to honor them,” Anastasia said. “You can send a photo through our Facebook page, and we’ll print it out and hang it up. We want to get the wall completely filled.”
They are also active supporters of individuals with special needs, hiring several adults with disabilities, and they regularly support nonprofit organizations in the community.
Giving back is important.
“We’re focused on making our products affordable,” Anastasia said. “Our goal is for any person to feel included, to be able to walk into our store, and to be able to afford something good to eat.”