Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauri Gingerich.
Hi Lauri, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Sugar Queen story began back in 2018. My mother, two sisters and I bought an old uniform truck with the hope to one day run and operate a food truck! Growing up in northern Indiana, we were surrounded by a “from scratch” food culture, where every corner had an Amish bakery or local ice cream shop. When we moved down to East Tennessee in 2011, we realized that we had a specific gift with food and there was space here for something special! Years later we were opening up The Sugar Queen Doughnutry Food Truck, and now we stand in awe and gratitude at the doors of our very own brick and mortar- The Creamery.
A passion for delicious things has always been the beating heart for our family. Growing up in a Mennonite community, our mother and her siblings relied on homegrown, homemade meals. These traditions and flavors became a standard with our friends and communities. Our families were able to serve others as we passed our dishes around the dinner table, and what was a part of our every day turned into a beautiful opportunity. Our food truck *literally* gave us a vehicle to spread the love and respect food deserved. We hear it every day we’re out- “That was the best doughnut/pretzel I’ve ever had!” And we started to dream of more than just doughnuts and soft pretzels and bigger than the four walls of our truck.
So we took a giant leap. We knew we wanted to begin our adventure in ice cream and found the perfect spot to do it well! We officially made an offer on the building you now know as The Sugar Queen Creamery in April of 2020. Yes. THAT 2020. Little did we know the chaos and heartache that would ensue that year. Our own mother worked a three-month contract in NYC and again in Buffalo, NY as an ICU nurse during the worst of the pandemic. It wasn’t until almost a year later that the process was complete and the former McLemore Florist Shop, a mainstay in the South Knoxville landscape, was finally ours. We couldn’t have imagined the trials we would face over the next year, with setback after setback pushing our dream further away. But slowly our vision began to come to life. And our faith gave us the resilience and fortitude to push forward. Staci, our Sugar Queen extraordinaire, worked tirelessly crossing our T’s and dotting our I’s. She took the lead answering thousands of emails, checklists, phone calls, and ensuring we had everything we needed to build a business- all while managing her two littles at home! And although he isn’t “technically” a Sugar Queen, our father was a fundamental part of the team as he worked for MONTHS AND MONTHS at the shop, and we truly couldn’t have done any of it without him. Here we are, finally standing within a place of our own, and so thankful to be part of the South Knoxville community!
The Creamery specializes in small-batch, homemade, hand dipped ice cream. Why ice cream? From as long as I can remember, our family would find an ice cream shop wherever we traveled. We ALWAYS tried the Vanilla, because if you can’t do Vanilla right we didn’t waste our time on the rest! And we have always loved the challenge of taking something delicious and making it even better. We aim to make the very best of the classic flavors you grew up with while tempting your palate with our own original combinations. We also hope to create a space for community. A place where friends meet to catch up. For families to take a little adventure for a sweet treat. And a place that becomes a longstanding part of the South Knox community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to where we are today seemed at times insurmountable. The biggest hurdle that we encountered was the process of turning a former flower shop into a licensed kitchen. We were met with extreme, unnecessary criteria and regulations from the City of Knoxville that at times seemed impossible for us, let alone any small business, to be able to comply with. With COVID, Knoxville requirements, and the rising construction costs, our expenses were much higher than we anticipated and we had to get very creative in order to open our doors. But after two years of giving our entire lives (blood, sweat, and tears included) we opened our doors knowing how much easier it would have been to just give up. Which makes it so much sweeter when we see how quickly The Creamery has become a part of this local community.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Sugar Queen Creamery is known for our small-batch, homemade, hand-dipped ice cream and handmade soft pretzels. We pride ourselves with ensuring balanced flavors and quality ingredients in everything we do. Ultimately we hope to serve our local community and create a place where friends and family can gather and enjoy a sweet treat together! All the while knowing what we offer is something special and unique.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
We would love to work with other local small businesses to promote quality products. We are currently in the process of collaborating an ice cream flavor and dessert with a local South Knoxville restaurant. We are also interested in creating new products with local businesses to sell in our shop. There are so many exciting things in our future!
Pricing:
- Mini (1 scoop)- $3.89
- Small (2 scoops) -$4.89
- Large (3 scoops) -$5.89
- Flight (4 mini scoops)- $6.39
Contact Info:
- Website: thesugarqueencreamery.com
- Instagram: thesugarqueencreamery
- Facebook: thesugarqueencreamery
Image Credits
Sam Angel Tanner Walker
