Two beat-up wooden benches are stationed in front of five glass doors. One of the doors has a red outline of a heart which reads, “Sugar Sweet Sunshine.” Inside, the wooden floor and green recliner, with its torn fabric on the arm rests, makes you feel as if you are walking into someone’s living room rather than a bakery. Sunday’s edition of The New York Post sits on a white rusty wooden table in front of an orange bench for the next customer to read. Two women, one much older than the other, stand in line, craning their necks to see which cupcake in the glass counter they want to purchase. One of the friendly employees says “$1.50 please,” as Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” plays in the background. It sure seems like a reasonable price for a cupcake these days given the fact that other bakeries are charging nearly $3 but for this five year old bakery, prices have remained stagnant.
“We were the recession before the recession,” said Debbie Weiner, co-owner of Sugar Sweet Sunshine.
Sugar Sweet Sunshine, located at 126 Rivington Street in the Lower East Side of New York City, has been home to cupcakes fanatics for years. For owners Debbie Weiner and Peggy Williams, Sugar Sweet Sunshine has taken the recession in stride because of their fundamental business practices. By baking and staffing what they need, there are no unforeseen circumstances. They will stay later if it is necessary. If business is slow, they’ll ask if someone wants to leave an hour earlier but they don’t enforce it though.
As for the progressively worsening economic climate, Weiner has noticed a trend.
“There’s usually a rush in the morning, the people who are on their way to work,” said Weiner. “In the afternoon, we get most of our foot traffic, perhaps because more people are unemployed and have more time on their hands, so they are up and about.”
Meanwhile, the business has seen a slight dip in corporate orders. However, their people first approach has had their loyal customers coming back for more despite the times.
While Debbie admits that the three keys to keeping their customers coming back and bringing in newer ones is product, low price and word of mouth, she also points out a much less obvious reason.
“There is a face behind Sugar Sweet Sunshine,” said Weiner. “We have a limited staff, but Peggy and I are on the premise all the time.”
On the wall near the counter where one orders cupcakes is a shrine from customers, featuring Polaroid pictures, letters and cards from customers. One card reads:
“To the Staff @ Sugar Sweet Sunshine,
Your cupcakes have served me as a pick-me-up and your coffee is inspirational.
Thank you.
From some Australian who sadly leaves for home tonight.”
Next to that are Polaroid pictures with captions including “Cupcake Coma,” an image of a person passed out on a couch and “Kai, Breakfast of Champions” dated August 2005 in which a young boy is seated at a kitchen table eating a cupcake.
Peg & Debbie have used their basic, fundamental business knowledge to deal with the economic cloud hanging above them. They have kept the overhead and staff to a minimum, making sure their employees remain motivated and aren’t around twiddling their thumbs.
“I always tell people, as simplistic as it sounds, if you can balance a check book, you can do it. It’s just on a larger scale.”
About starting a business in today’s economic climate, Weiner admits that she’d be terrified at the notion.
“People don’t have expendable money,” said Weiner. “It certainly is a period where there is pause for concern. We made smart, realistic choices from the beginning so we haven’t had to endure some of the struggles other small businesses are experiencing.”
As the winner of the 2008 New York City Gourmet Shopping and Entertaining Survey, Sugar Sweet Sunshine continues to churn out cupcakes and leave its owners in disbelief over its popularity and success.
“We were both in shock,” said Weiner. “We always considered ourselves the underdog. It was really a humbling experience.” For Peggy Williams and Debbie Weiner, “who didn’t have a pot to piss in” and couldn’t afford anywhere else when they opened in the business, their story of survival is enough to inspire anyone.
Outside the small bakery, a dog begins to violently wag its tail and bark as it watches its owner consume a cupcake. Another owner walking her dog past Sugar Sweet Sunshine says, “No, no, no babe…no cupcakes, come on.” Even in a recession, neither people nor animals can suppress their cupcake cravings from Sugar Sweet Sunshine.