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Sugar Mama’s Bakeshoppe celebrated its six-year anniversary and the grand opening of a new ice cream shop on Saturday, April 26. The current Bakeshoppe, located at 908 N. Main St., expanded into the vacant building next door. 

After a successful six years with her baked goods, owner Sandra Merrill said God told her it was time to start selling ice cream too.

“Cake and ice cream go hand in hand,” she said.

The shop sells Blue Bell ice cream and Merrill said she plans to keep it that way because she wants to continue focusing on making her baked goods.

Merrill has had a knack for baking since she was young and attended a culinary high school where she fell in love with cake decorating.

She opened her first bakery in Virginia Beach in the mid-90s and had some challenges as a new business owner. 

Her current spot on North Main Street is the one that stuck.

Merrill said she loves seeing the “smiling faces of the young” who came in for ice cream during the grand opening.

“They say, ‘I was waiting for someone to have ice cream here,’” she said. “Especially hand dipped ice cream, they love it, and I’m glad.”