Today we’d like to introduce you to Damien Abrams.
Damien, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
While in high school in 1995, I started as an intern at Solar Eclipse learning how to customize and tint cars. Shortly after graduating high school in 1997, an opportunity opened up for me to take over the business. I had no other job at the time and loved work at the shop so decided to take the risk and take over Solar Eclipse. Solar Eclipse originally opened in 1988 and was one of the first Import car customizing places in San Diego.
Over the years, we have slowly converted to just being a window tint shop as I found it hard to compete with online sales with all the auto accessories and performance products. At Solar Eclipse, we strive to be the best we can, we carry the best window tint products we can at an affordable price with a high-quality installation. Business is always rough in the automotive business as more shops open and close but we have always been able to keep our doors open. Word of mouth has always been great for us and our work at Solar Eclipse has proven why we are good at what we do.
As far as D’licious Desserts, in the year of 2012, I became a single father to 2 great children. Being a single father is never easy and I needed to find a way to make everything work for my family. I love to cook and bake and friends finally talked me into starting my second business in the baking world. When I started, I saw that French macarons were the trendy dessert and I just so happen to know how to make them. I slowly started to put my product on social media and would sell 1-2 dozen week and after a month or so orders of anywhere from 5-10 dozen started to roll in. I found myself catering weddings and birthday parties and the word was getting out about my macarons. I wasn’t done there though, I started to see a company in the Los Angeles area make macarons in an ice cream sandwich form and nobody at the time in San Diego was doing that so I decided to get my feet wet in those. Of course, the macaron ice cream sandwich is bigger so I had to figure a different recipe for that but it work out and they were a hit. After about 6 months of making the ice cream sandwich I had to figure out how I could make them and be different. I decided to change up from using regular store bought ice cream and work with Niederfranks Ice Cream of National City. They are an old creamery dating back to the 1940’s and make only 100% natural ice cream. I was blessed that they were willing to work with me so I could provide a top-notch product to my customers.
1 year into the dessert business, I began to get calls from local restaurant asking if I could wholesale to them and again I took another chance. I first started working with Chef Craig Jimenez of Super Natural Sandwiches in Miramar and the popularity of the product soon jumped to the ice cream sandwiches being carried at various restaurants throughout San Diego including Snoice in Paradise Hills, Taegukgi Korean BBQ in Kerney Mesa and Nom Nom bento in Pacific Beach.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been no smooth ride for either business. For Solar Eclipse, I was fresh out of high school with no credit so getting loans was out of the picture. We are not a large corporation so putting out the best product and customers services was the what we have done to keep our customer happy and keep the business going.
Being in the dessert business is tough, French macarons are some of the hardest things to make and with it being a second business I run it late night. Having to supply various restaurants and still fill special orders it is very time consuming. Working with the restaurants has been great and keeps me very busy but I have chosen to work with some great chefs who believe in my product so it’s very motivating to work with them.
For both business, I have to work all social media outlets, advertising and run the daily operations and ordering so I have to stay on top of things everyday as well as taking care of my kids.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
At Solar Eclipse, we specialize in window tinting. We are known for window tinting and proud that we have been able to maintain a good quality product to keep our customers coming back. We really focus on our installation and also customer service to understand our customer and make their window tint experience the best they can have.
For D’licious Desserts, I specialize in French Macarons and French Macaron ice cream sandwiches. I’m known for having various flavor you cannot find anywhere else and Ice cream sandwiches with ice flavors you won’t find in any store. I set myself aside from other by making custom flavors and inspired flavors from various regions of the world.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always a very shy person and still consider myself shy in the regular world outside of business. I grew up playing sports being and being around family, family has always been a big part of my life. I was always into cars and grew up learning how to cook so both businesses are based around both of those.
Contact Info:
- Address: Solar Eclipse Window Tinting
507 G Ave.
National City Ca 91950 - Website: www.SolarEclipseSD.com
- Phone: Solar Eclipse -619 474 -0060 Dlicious Desserts – 619-203-5260
- Email: solareclipseauto@gmail.com /sdmacarons@gmail.com
- Instagram: @solar_eclipse_window_tinting ; @dlicious_desserts
- Facebook: solar eclipse window tinting / dlicious dessert
- Yelp: Solar Eclipse Window Tinting
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