08/26/2026
I have ultimately decided to do something I didnāt think Iād have to do so early in the game. But before anything else, I want to make one thing very clear: I refuse to give up on Sugar Barrel.
At the same time, Iāve realized that giving up and completely burning myself out will eventually lead to the same place if I let it.
Today, I worked at the shop for 17 hours straightāwith the exception of about 10 minutes to run to the Dollar Store for honey. In those 17 hours, the shop did $304 in sales. Thatās it.
That meant I missed getting my kids off to school. I missed them getting home from school. I missed homework, dinner, bath time and bedtimeā¦to ultimately come out negative for the day.
And NOTHING is worth missing that time with them every single day of the week.
The difference is, I own the business. I have the ability to change that. So I am.
Beginning Monday, August 31st, Sugar Barrel will close at 10 AM on Mondays and Tuesdays.
With school back in session, Iām generally the only person here during the daytimeāwhich is great until I need to run an errand, take one of my kids to a doctorās appointment, attend something at school or simply handle life outside of these four walls.
Instead of randomly closing the shop when those things come up and leaving everyone wondering whether weāre open, I would much rather give our customers a consistent schedule they can depend on.
And now that Iāve shared WAY more information than I ever told myself I would when I opened this placeā¦let me share some good news. š
Iāve spent a lot of time running numbers, going through our accounting, reducing the amount of labor needed with school starting and our new operating hours, and finding better pricing on ingredients and materials.
Effective September 1st, our menu prices are changingāand 95% of our menu items are staying the same or DROPPING in price!
There were only two items that needed an increase, and those increased by just 50Ā¢ per size. All size upgrades will now be $1, and weāve also added a regular-size Lotus option to the menu!
And one more thing I want everyone to understand:
Just because Sugar Barrel is closed does not mean Iām not here working.
On Mondays and Tuesdays after we close, you will very likely still see me at the shop. Those hours are actually the perfect opportunity for me to bake, prep, order, clean, work on menus, handle paperwork and prepare for the upcoming days without stopping every few minutes to help a customer.
You may not always see me behind the counter, but I promise I am still working on improving, growing and figuring out how to make Sugar Barrel better.
Lastly, support your local businesses whenever you can.
As a mom of three who works what feels like 100 hours a week, I completely understand that getting coffee every morning or taking the family out for ice cream every night simply isnāt realistic. Iām not asking anyone to do that.
But when you are going to grab a coffee, a treat, lunch, a bottle of water or something small, consider spending those few dollars with a local business.
It matters more than most people realize.
Every coffee. Every ice cream cone. Every bottle of water. Every share, comment, recommendation and āHey, have you tried this place?ā helps keep a small business going.
Iām learning as I go. Iām adjusting when something isnāt working. And Iām doing my best to build a Sugar Barrel that can be here for the long haulāwithout missing my kids growing up in the process.
Thank you to everyone who continues to walk through our doors and support this crazy little dream of mine. š¤
