Cheris Hodges | The Laurinburg Exchange
Jessica Reed-Hill is the owner of Laurinburg’s newest bakery, The Sugar Hill Kakery.
LAURINBURG — Downtown Laurinburg’s newest bakery, The Sugar Hill Kakery, is owner Jessica Reed-Hill’s walk with God.
Reed-Hill, a Laurinburg native, said she listened to her higher power when it came to developing, expanding her business, and opening the storefront downtown.
“I know that it is all God that gave me the gift and this is one of the things that he has commissioned me to do,” she said. “You know some people want to do something and they just jump out and do it. I have always been very prayerful about what’s my next move and should I do it. My business is all with God and I give him the credit for it.”
Reed-Hill plans to take her time to get her business where she wants it to be over the next several months – from redesigning the storefront on South Main Street to hiring the right staff for the bakery.
“This is my baby and something that I’ve been cultivating for years,” she said.
And it’s paying off. Most of the bakery’s holiday custom orders have sold out. Over Thanksgiving, Reed-Hill had more than 45 orders.
“God gives strategies if you just open your ears and hear it.,” she said. “If you follow God’s instructions you can’t go wrong.”
Reed-Hill started baking professionally in 2004. She said her former pastor asked her to bake a cake for two big life events – a wedding and a baby christening – and things took off from there.
In 2019, Reed-Hill started The Sugar Hill Kakery LLC. At that time, she was working as a teaching assistant with Scotland County Schools. But she left that job to follow her passion.
Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot of people would think it’s crazy, you’re trying to do this in the midst of a pandemic. But for believers, this is the best time to go forward with business,” she said.
Reed-Hill wants her bakery to be a place where people come to relax after work, a place that brings another layer to downtown. And she wants her business to be known for helping in the community.
Reed-Hill said she plans to open the storefront next summer, but she doesn’t have an official opening date.
However, The Sugar Hill Kakery will be hosting a pop-up shop on Jan. 22 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hampton Inn Laurinburg.
Want to learn more about The Sugar Hill Kakery? Log on to www.thesugarhillkakery.com.
Cheris Hodges can be reached at chodges@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.