Two weeks ago, I spent two glorious days trolling Brooklyn.
Not only did I discover giant copper beeches in Ditmas Park and rusted out
street cars in Red Hook; not only did I affirm my love for and desire to move
to Brooklyn; and not only did I stumble upon a gorgeous rum
distillery/chocolate factory Cacao Prieto, but I stumbled upon the adorable new
candy store in Cobble Hill, Sugar Shop.
Run by Jen Bischoff and Sara Houchins, two former colleagues
with awesome aesthetics and mean sugar addictions, these girls are now living
the dream. It’s one I’ve been half seriously pondering after my last visit toMiette. And with their enthusiasm for and dedication to Sugar Shop, I’m all
that much more inclined to think about it. Or at least fantasize more seriously
about it. Bet you will, too, after hearing more from them…
Owning a cool candy store is every girl's dream (well, at
least this girl's...). How did you do it?
Sara confessed that she was burnt out at work and on the
verge of quitting. When I asked her what she wanted to do she shared that
she had always dreamed of owning a candy store. Sara and I joked that we
were candy soul mates. It was obvious that I would love this idea and
want to be a part of it. We immediately set to work to make it happen.
We moonlighted researching, sourcing, and planning for months. We
found our dream space and patiently waited for the Landmark Commission to
release it for use. All in all, it was 6 months from concept to opening.
You have everything from local artisanal chocolatiers to
old-timey dime-store favorites. How did you decide on your inventory?
Our first rule is that our inventory shouldn't be available
at local deli's and groceries. We want our product to be special.
The kind of candy that conjures memories and creates new ones. We
also taste everything, of course. We have to love it. We cater to
all ages, with modern and vintage candy. We like to think that we have
"everything." Our customers rarely stump us. We're looking into
an international assortment next.
What have been the best sellers, or most popular candies?
The best sellers are a big range. Our most popular
items are sea salt caramels. We have a few kinds in bulk, from Betsy's
Buns in Brooklyn, and and also from Liddabit. We also can't keep in the
old school Peanut Chews and Nik Nips wax bottles with juice inside. The
kids love Toxic Waste and our gummy wall.
And what's been the biggest surprise so far?
The biggest surprise is that the great majority of our
customers are adults buying for themselves!
Who designed your store?
When Sara spoke to me about the idea for the store, my first
reaction was that I wanted to design it. Creating our own candy
wonderland was such an inspiring project. I wanted it to have a vintage
sweet shop feel with a mid-century modern edge. I enjoyed working on all
of the details, the gumball wall, vintage wall paper, striped party room,
colored tables, and sparkling glasswear. The layout and merchandising of
the store was so much fun to plan. My husband built all of our fixtures!
Sara and I painted and enlisted the help of our friends to make it all
happen. This was all done after hours from our fulltime jobs!
What are your favorite neighborhood restaurants?
We love Ki Sushi, Frankies, Boca Lupo, and Petite Crevette.
What are your top three favorite candies?
Sara: Gobstoppers, gummy bears, and Sugar Babies.
Jen: Gummy cherries, sea salt caramels, and sour belts.
I spied a party room at Sugar Shop. Can you tell us a little
about parties and private event opportunities?
Our party room is so much fun! We have all inclusive
party packages that come with everything including invitations, decorations,
balloons, cupcakes, refreshments, games, crafts, and goody bags. All you
have to do is show up! We also do candy buffets, wedding favors and
centerpieces.
