Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizette Rusche.
Hi Lizette, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Sugar Cookie started in 2011 in St George, Utah. It is our belief that we perfected not only the pink sugar cookie, but all sugar cookies. Our cookies are made with a lot of pride and with the very best ingredients. Many claim to be the first cookie company; we only claim to be the best.
The story of how we became the owners of The Sugar Cookie is a funny story.
My husband and I love the performing arts and have been season tickets to the Tuacahn for years. In the fall of 2017 we discovered “The Sugar Cookie” at the Tuacahn. During the intermission, we were invited into the VIP lounge for refreshments. My husband started putting some mini frosted sugar cookies on a plate while eating one, when he said with delighted enthusiasm, “Lizette put some of those Sugar Cookies on your plate.” I replied, “I don’t eat sugar cookies.” He replied in desperation while trying to be discrete, “Grab some more for me!” As I started plating a few mini cookies, I decided to try what made my otherwise quiet husband so animated.
We weren’t far from the line when my husband turned with excitement to see how many cookies I had grabbed for him, his eyes went sad to see I was finishing off the last of the three I had picked up. He replied, “Those were for me.” I told him, “You are just going to have to go through the line twice and hope they don’t recognize you.”
He went back, but his mission wasn’t as much eating more cookies but finding out where these cookies could be purchased. He came back with the name and more cookies.
The next business day he was on the phone calling the store asking how he could franchise a store and bring it to Utah County where we live. The owners rejected his interest because they didn’t have any idea of how to franchise but told my husband that they would sell the whole thing but no franchise. My husband was sad because the price they wanted was not feasible and because we did not want a store 300 miles from where we lived.
During Covid, my husband’s other businesses were essential and flourishing. One day to my surprise, my husband told me, “I reached out to the Sugar Cookie today to see how they were doing during Covid and to see if he was interested in franchising or needed any money to help them get through Covid.” My husband said, they are doing fine with money but were upset that all the other cookie competitors were copying their every move. We closed that discussion with my husband saying, “I don’t think we can help them.”
Then in late fall of 2021, my husband received a text, “Are you still interested in buying the Sugar Cookie?” The owners stated, otherwise we are closing it down on January 1, 2022.” At that point, my husband said, we can’t let that cookie company die, let’s buy it and move it to Salt Lake or Utah County. We travelled down to St George to visit this opportunity, we debated if taking the store out of St George was the right thing to do, and whether myself full-time in Mammography/Radiology at IHC in Orem, Utah and his other businesses, we could make it work. My husband said anything is possible and I have a strategy.
Together we decided we would purchase the brand, change the logo, and expand upon the store in St George. We are grateful and so humbled by the experience. In November 2022, we are opening a new store in Cedar City on Freedom Blvd. that will have a drive-thru that serves cookies and drinks.
It is our hope to make The Sugar Cookie the pride of Southern Utah.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In the beginning, we had difficulty finding the kind of people we wanted and when we did, they wouldn’t stay. It became painfully obvious that we were lacking leadership and skilled management and that we had some people that were creating or contributing to a very toxic environment. We have a very clear vision of the kind of people we want to employ and represent the brand. We have found great, and talented leaders that we are confident are going to help grow The Sugar Cookie into an Iconic brand from St George.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work full-time in Radiology at IHC. I specialize in mammography and IR and loving helping people. I think I’m most known in my profession for how I treat others and empathetically comfort anyone needing cancer screening. I am most proud of my five sons and family, and how I have worked so hard to have the privilege to professionally help others while at the same time sharing my passion of baking yummy foods. As far as what sets us apart as a cookie company, we use only the best ingredients and prepare every cookie with the love and passion we have for great-tasting cookies.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
It’s very hard to predict what will happen with the economy, but comfort food will always be needed to keep spirits high. It is our hope to provide many locations around the United States and we are excited for the many stores that will be opening in Northern Utah, and the stores we have planned in Temecula, and Hemet, California.
Contact Info:
- Website: thesugarcookieutah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesugarcookie_/
Image Credits
The Sugar Cookie
