Today, we’d like to introduce you to Hoss Cone.
Hi Hoss, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
We got started 15 years ago by selling fresh mint limeade at the Downtown SLC Farmers Market, which we still do to this day.
After several years of immense popularity there, we decided to turn our small food business into a full-time gig by opening a brick-and-mortar location.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha, I don’t think there is a restaurant owner in the world that has had a smooth road. It’s an exciting industry, but full of highs and lows. Standard problems like staffing and hitting food and labor cost goals are part of the day-to-day struggle.
The pandemic obviously was and continues to be a huge struggle, especially considering the still lingering side effects that came from it, like supply chain issues, massive increases, cost of food and equipment, etc. But we push through and keep on keepin’ on.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’ve worked in food for a long time, and I’ve been creative my whole life. The restaurant is a combination of those two things. It’s also just one branch of my creative tree. I’m also an active touring musician, kids’ book author, screenwriter (unpublished, but let me know if you have a cousin that works in Hollywood), and overall weirdo.
I’m kind of all over the place idea and project-wise, always getting pulled in different directions. But I am really proud of Sweet Lake and what we’ve been able to accomplish there. We’ve become a mainstay in the community, and, being part of that community myself, I’m happy to have helped contribute to adding a little more flavor and flare to it.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a hyperactive kid, just ask my mom. To get a brief moment of peace, she would hide behind the sliding door curtains as I would tornado through the house, yelling and generally terrorizing. Then, like a lot of 14-year olds, I thought I would probably end up playing in the NBA or the NFL, I just hadn’t decided which yet.
But I was also a budding writer, penning stories about Ponce de Leon, drug addicts, cowboys, and African sunsets. In my late teens I discovered skiing, and have carried that with me into my aged years. My story and poetry writing habits morphed into music writing habits in my mid-20s, and that has also followed (or led) me through now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sweetlakefresh.com
- Instagram: @sweetlakebiscuitsandlimeade
Image Credits
Natalie Simpson
