Paul Rudd co-owns a candy shop in Rhinebeck, New York — and one of the store’s employees says he’s a great boss.
“He’s always nice and friendly,” John Traver, the manager of Samuel’s Sweet Shop, exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “He takes time to speak to the staff and learn their names and ask them questions about their lives. And then he’ll share things about his life or show us, you know, pictures from the Super Bowl or talk about what’s going on with their house or their dog or whatever.”
Traver adds that Rudd, 54, is “extremely passionate” about both the store and the town of Rhinebeck, where he owns a home with wife Julie Yaeger.
“I think that he does consider this home in many ways,” Traver says. “He loves the store and the sense of community and grounding that it brings him. He’s very supportive of our efforts here and he gives us a lot of freedom and autonomy to run and create a successful and happy experience for our customers in the community.”
Samuel’s Sweet Shop nearly shut down in 2014 after the original owner, Ira Gutner, passed away. Rudd was a loyal customer at the time, as were Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Hilarie Burton Morgan and actor Andy Ostroy. Rather than let the small business close, the foursome decided to buy it.
During a 2019 interview with The Poughkeepsie Journal, Rudd shed some light on what he loves about the shop.
“It is impossible to walk into a candy store and stay in a bad mood. This is what I say. Unless you maybe stub your toe on the gumball machine,” he said. “One of the most important things any human can experience is to be a part of a community and feel connected to where you live and to other people who live there, especially in a job like mine.”
Traver isn’t the only one who appreciates the good vibes that Rudd brings to the Rhinebeck community. Mary, the owner of Willow Wood boutique, which is next door to Samuel’s, tells Us that the Ant-Man actor is “just a really sweet, generous man who blends right in with the community.”
She notes that along with Morgan and Burton Morgan, who have been married since 2019, Rudd gives “more to [the] community” than he takes.
“There is no star status and he doesn’t pull that at all,” Mary says. “He’s humbled and more shy than the movie star that he’s known to be. I feel like he’s one of us.”
For more on Paul Rudd’s sweet business venture, watch the video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.
