Sweet Designs Chocolatiers will sweeten your sweetie this Valentine's Day

LAKEWOOD, Ohio - If chocolate is what your sweetheart would love this Valentine's Day, then what better place to go than Sweet Designs Chocolatier in Lakewood.

Owner Ines Rehner opened the doors to the chocolate lovers of Lakewood in 1995. She has carved a niche making a variety of European-style milk and dark chocolates.

The flavor of not-too-sweet for the milk and not-too-bitter for the dark chocolate has allowed Rehner to put her own distinct chocolate stamp down amongst all the other local candymakers.

Rehner described chocolate as her "most favorite food" in the world. Her love of chocolate began as a child in very small doses in her native country of Croatia. It wasn't until a trip to America in 1985 that she knew someday the dream of having her own chocolate shop could be possible.

Her little shop, located at 16100 Detroit Road, is filled with intoxicating smells of chocolate truffles, chocolate covered pretzels, raspberries and strawberries. Oh, and chocolate high heels filled with what else? More delicious chocolate. You can even order them in pairs, which many customers do.

As you can tell, I really loved the offerings of Sweet Designs Chocolatiers, but it was the staff led by the effervescent personality of owner Ines Rehner that really sweetened the deal for me.