Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Weiss
Hi Amber, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started baking with my grandmother as a child. Christmas was my favorite holiday because we would make all kinds of cookies together. Peanut clusters chocolate corn flake cookies and decorated sugar cookies, were some of our traditions. She always made Texas sheet cakes and bread pudding. I was always fascinated with all of it. I started working in a bakery when I was young while attending college and I just loved it. This is where I learned to decorate cakes. I said when I was 18 that I wanted to own a bakery one day. I just didn’t know I was going to start it when I was 45 🤣
I continued on with college and received my degree in Biology. I guess I should have been following my baking passion and going to culinary school but that wasn’t realty considered “college” at the time. I received my masters and started my doctorate. I raised 3 boys andddd kept decorating cakes while staying at home with them.
Fast forward, I had been working as an accountant for about 6 years and I had left the company I was at and said…I’m opening a bakery and…I did! I felt like cakes alone wouldn’t bring in enough income so I added breakfast, lunch, coffees, boozy drinks and lots of other treats! Oh and now I have SUSHI too 3 nights a week!!
I wanted to be downtown Belleville because it was personal to me. I used to go shopping with my grandmother there and she worked at a couple businesses as well when I was little. I started looking and there was a spot someone told me about for rent. It happened to be a clothing store called “Lerner’s” that my grandmother had worked at and she used to take me there when I was a child. I knew I had to have it. I met with the owner, he interviewed me and told me several other people wanted the spot. I told him my story and I got it!! It was meant to be. I mean it’s on the corner of High street and I already had picked out my name, Sugar High. Everything just lined up. I’m a huge believer in everything happens for a reason. And this was my everything.
I have a great staff, supportive family and a husband that helps out every free second he has. I also have a great group of neighboring businesses. You can usually find me in the back decorating, baking, making cookie dough or anything that is needed to stock the counters! We have many events downtown and I get really creative with each one. I love what I do and it’s personal to me, and I feel that makes all the difference in the world!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Struggles…I just feel like either me or my husband need to be at my shop almost all the time. It’s like the saying…when the cats away, the mice will play 😜
I do feel like finding the right staff can be very hard. The younger generation wants to work when they want (which isn’t often), call off when they want and play on their phones 🤣
Owning a business is a 24/7 job. So you have to have the personality for that! I love it. But it can be challenging. We are always out of something and running to the store, We get huge catering orders at last minute that my husband and I will stay up all night to do because we can’t afford to hire a massive staff being a small business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Custom cakes, cookies, cupcakes, cake pops, etc.
What’s sets us apart from other bakeries…I find what’s trending and I make it and I keep changing things up. I make my items from scratch or in house. My stuff tastes amazing. And it’s ALWAYS fresh.
In research bakeries all over the world. When I travel, I hit every bakery in that area.
I’m most proud of my cakes. I book out 4-8 in advance for my cakes.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was insecure, shy and I basically didn’t like anything about myself. I was bullied in grade school by a group of kids when I was really young and then by another girl in middle school. So I just never felt like I knew myself or had any talents. But I as I got older, I realized I did have something to give and I had a lot of talent. I realized I had to take control of myself and my own life and things got better.
Pricing:
- Cakes average 8inch $75
- Cake pops $2
- Mini cakes $5.50
- Cinnamon rolls $4.25
- Cookies $3-$5
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Sugarhighbakeryandcafe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sugarhigh618?igsh=bWhlMWZzNDl0Z3F1&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/jVTKdyjatJjfNDT1/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
