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Mesha Fields is ready to share her love creating a sweet creations with customers of SugaFix Designer Dessert Studio. The new business, at 58 E. William St., will allow customers to select a variety of topping and mixtures to create a unique treat.
DECATUR — Mesha Fields has been dreaming of creating sweets for years.
The vision turned into SugaFix Designer Dessert Studio, a colorful, interactive bakery and design space, located at 158 E. William St., Decatur, next to Striglos, allowing customers to create their own treats. Opening day is planned for April 9.
“You can build your own dessert,” Fields said. “That can be anything from a cupcake to a milkshake, even ice cream floats.”
Fields' memories of candy machines near the exit of the Decatur Kmart store was the inspiration for the machines filled with various colors of sprinkles ready to be added as a topping for the price of 25 cents.
Additions to the menu will include cheesecakes of various flavors and Freak Shakes, which are large shakes filled with any of the sweets available in the restaurant.
If a customer is in need of a quick sugar fix, gourmet to-go items will be on display at the front counter. Strawberry, lemon, red velvet, and cookies-and-cream will be the standard cupcakes.
The build-your-own bar will have a selection of 27 toppings, ranging from fruit to bacon.
The restaurant’s atmosphere includes white walls with splashes of color throughout.
Beverages will include Raven’s Brew coffee and all-natural, kosher, craft sodas. “It also has vitamin infused alkaline water,” Fields said. “So it’s kind of healthy.”
The cost of creating your own treat has various options. The build-your-own dessert includes one topping. Each additional topping is 98 cents.
A Cake by the Pound allows the customer to pile a cake with toppings for 70 cents per ounce.
One item is free, the Big Dumb Freak Shake. “It’s going to have anything you can think of in it and on it,” Fields said. “If you can eat it all, then it’s free.”
SugaFix has been a Decatur business for 14 years when Fields created the sweets from her home. About a year ago she began working on a business to welcome customers into a colorful and fun atmosphere. She has also worked in pharmacy for 27 years; however, the pandemic made her rethink her priorities. “I didn’t want to do anything that didn’t make me happy,” she said.
ADDRESS: 158 E. William St., Decatur
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
Fields began planning the bakery business, which eventually morphed into something bigger. “Having the classroom and dine-in option, it only made sense,” she said.
The classroom will be available as a studio for customers to decorate their own cupcakes or cake. The room can also be reserved for parties and decorating classes.
The restaurant’s atmosphere includes white walls with splashes of color throughout. “The whole place is really a photo opportunity,” Fields said.
One of the featured, yet tasty, decorative areas is the sprinkle wall. Growing up, Fields would often admire the row of bubble gum machines lining the entrance to K-Mart. “I always wanted to get stuff out of there, but my mom would never let me,” she said.
The iconic coin machines are now filled with various colors of sprinkles ready to be added as a topping for the price of 25 cents.
Fields continues to make custom wedding cakes as well as elaborate desserts for the new business. She is relying on her staff to help make SugaFix a happy place for customers. “When I posted I was hiring, I said 'Miserable people need not apply’,” Fields said. “You can’t walk in here and not be happy.”
The owner encourages the staff to learn and grow from the experience. “If you have something that you want to try, or you think is a good idea, this is a place where I want you to try it,” Fields said. “You never know. You might come up with something that might be your life’s path.”
Jade Flournoy is one of the employees testing out her skills. At 15 years old, she will be one of the cake designers. “But she tells us what to do,” she said about her boss.
Mariah Valdez and Tiara Turner are managing the restaurant. “This is going to be a really good spot for kids,” Valdez said.
“But I love food,” Turner said. “So I’m going to be eating cupcakes all the time.”
The Decatur Daily Review, May 1960
The Decatur Daily Review, November 1958
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Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR
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"Together Decatur" Columnist and Food/Drink Reporter
“Together Decatur” columnist and food and drink reporter for Lee Enterprises Central Illinois.
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Mesha Fields is ready to share her love creating a sweet creations with customers of SugaFix Designer Dessert Studio. The new business, at 58 E. William St., will allow customers to select a variety of topping and mixtures to create a unique treat.
Fields' memories of candy machines near the exit of the Decatur Kmart store was the inspiration for the machines filled with various colors of sprinkles ready to be added as a topping for the price of 25 cents.
The restaurant’s atmosphere includes white walls with splashes of color throughout.
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