11-11-2022

 

Hello friends. Chris here with some bakery news.

 

This is something I hoped to never have to write or say, so to avoid dragging this out, here is the unfortunate truth: I will be closing SugarBuzz as it exists now. We plan on still operating through Christmas and perhaps into the new year a bit. However, I am putting what I own inside the building / physical assets up for sale, and what happens with all of that could change the timeline at any moment. Depending on a variety of factors, it’s even possible for us to be closed prior to Christmas (I’ll update with more info as soon as I have it).

 

We signed our lease a month before covid hit, which put a lot of kinks in many plans and caused us to open SugarBuzz almost a full year later. If we started the business today, I’m positive the outcome would have been much different than the choice I am left with. There are a variety of factors that led to this decision, and I could spend a lot of time and brain power on ‘what-ifs’, but it won’t really change where we are now, and what’s best for both the bakery and myself. You could say I empathize a lot with other vegan business owners who’ve closed down recently. Instead, I want to focus on all we were able to accomplish in our two years, and the people behind the scenes that made it all happen. 

 

When I decided to open an all vegan bakery, it was on a hope, a prayer, and some naiveness that I could make this all work out solo. Thankfully, I didn’t have to look very long before I found LaDawn Stuben, our Bakery Wizard. Her experience, passion, and desire perfectly fit what SugarBuzz needed to take off. Within a month she developed all new vegan recipes, trained staff, and got the building in shape to open on February 1st, 2021. Two weeks later, we pulled off our first of two Paczki days that were an absolute hit! With the helping and dedicated hands of Adele, Sarah, Julia and Ally, that first Paczki day, and those first few months, exceeded our expectations, and I believe set the bar for what we were able to offer at SugarBuzz. The adrenaline and energy in the air for both of our Paczki days will be the cornerstones of my memory when I think back about the bakery.

 

Since then, we’ve offered a variety of options year round, and amazing holiday treats throughout the year that have lit up customers faces upon walking in. Those customers, particularly the ‘regulars’ (you all know who you are), have shown so much passion and excitement for our treats, and in many cases, were ambassadors to bringing in new customers over the last 2 years. I can’t thank you all enough for the kindness and support you’ve shown us. The staff and I really appreciate each and every single one of you.

 

SugarBuzz has meant so much to me, and I’m truly heartbroken that this is where we are at now. It has meant so much to me not only because I had this dream of having a one stop all-vegan bakery for a while, but also because each employee that has worked here has in some, or many, ways shaped what we’ve become. Their DNA is what made SugarBuzz what it is, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of employees to help make this idea all it could be. Dear LaDawn, Adele, Ally, Sarah, Julia, Micaela, Liberty, Al, Christina, Alanna, Katie, and Jordan - SugarBuzz will always be something we built together. So to all of you, past and present: THANK YOU. My heart and words will never be able to get out how much each of you have meant to me. 

 

We’ll be sharing more about any changing hours and open/closed days in the near future. Please be patient with us as we make these transitions over the next couple of months. 

 

Chris