Sweet Shoppe of Hartsville

Serving the community one scoop at a time, Sonya Teal, with her husband Brad Teal and her fantastic team, opened The Sweet Shoppe in Hartsville, South Carolina, in September 2020.

story & photos by Rebecca Giese

This shop of sweets serves Blue Bell ice cream, milkshakes, and even customizable rolled ice cream. They have hard candies and other sweets for sale just like the old fashion candy shops and if you are in the mood for something savory, try a hot dog or bbq sandwich! When asked why she wanted to open an ice cream parlor, Sonya responded with a message on making life pivots while faithfully following Jesus. "We had the children's store Tommi Mack around the corner. Like everyone else, we shut down for the pandemic. We were praying the entire time we were out because some things didn't quite make sense to me business-wise. I didn't have small children anymore and most of what we sold was for small kids. I kept saying, 'Okay Lord, Your Will be done.' He didn't guide me in any particular direction right away. When it came time for us to open back up from the pandemic, that's when God provided a new path for me. It was the first time I had been back to the store and within an hour, I heard Him say, 'Your season is up daughter.' Within a few seconds, I messaged my husband and told him that we were closing Tommi Mack and that we would be obedient to God's word. No matter what it looked like."

During the closing of the children's store, Sonya and her husband made a plan to serve the community better. "In that period, He (the Lord) had given me and my husband the idea of The Sweet Shop. Together, we wrote down our ideas, made a plan, and started praying over it. It took us a while to figure out which ice cream we were supposed to use. I'm so grateful that we didn't just jump on the first one we ran across because Blue Bell has been phenomenal." This plan includes sweet treats for the community and the opportunity to employ triple the number of people. When it came to hiring employees, Sonya was blessed with several qualified individuals eager to serve up some sweets. "We had nearly 80 people apply for The Sweet Shop. There were so many that I prayed about how I should conduct the interview. God led me to ask each applicate 31 questions which helped in not only hiring the best employees but also helped in setting the tone for The Sweet Shoppe. The Sweet Shoppe welcomes families and college students alike with open arms. It's a place where grandparents can make memories over a scoop of ice cream with their grandchildren. Sonya's heart and the heart of her team is to serve the community. In doing so, they are open seven days a week with a crosstrained staff to ensure everything runs smoothly and the customer has the best experience possible. "We wanted to be an environment where families could hang out and friends could share laughs over a scoop of ice cream in a safe, fun environment. We wanted somewhere that brought back that nostalgia of family life but we also wanted somewhere you feel comfortable getting away from your daily worries." We did have to ask the most crucial question...What is Sonya's favorite ice cream flavor? "I'm a kid at heart, so I like the cotton candy, but I also love the sea salt caramel. And I'll tell you our hint. If you want a really good milkshake and are okay with mixing some flavors, ask us to do sea salt caramel and coffee. It is so good." Not in the mood for Blue Bell? They also make other treats in house. "Our most popular would have to be the Maple Pecan Balls. Of course, everybody loves dipped Oreos and we have some creamy and crunchy Peanut Butter Balls that we sell a lot of as well." A new addition has been the rolled ice cream; this ice cream is made to order right in front of you with the flavors and toppings of your choosing.