A groundbreaking expansion is underway in Chicago’s South Side, marking a significant milestone for a beloved local business.
Brown Sugar Bakery, frequented by presidents and celebrities, has achieved nationwide success.
In a FOX 32 Special Report, Tia Ewing interviewed founder Stephanie Hart about her legacy and message to aspiring entrepreneurs.
The name “Brown Sugar” comes from the Rolling Stones song, which Hart, growing up Black in the western suburbs in the late ’70s, used to confront racism.
“I would say, ‘You know me more than you think because you sing about me all the time. Whenever you’re singing Brown Sugar, you’re singing about me.’ So I kind of used it,” Hart said.
This inspired Hart to create Brown Sugar Bakery in the Park Manor neighborhood. After 20 years in the tech industry, Hart couldn’t find a cake like her late grandmother used to make, so she started baking herself.
“I really worked hard until it made me feel like my grandmother baked that cake,” she said.
In 2002, as a single mom, Hart opened the bakery. Recently, the bakery sold 4,000 cakes in just two days. The caramel cake, making up 70% of her business, is a customer favorite.
“To make a good caramel is rocket science. It is so tricky and so technical,” she explained.
Hart’s journey to success wasn’t without challenges. She initially made her walk-in cooler with Styrofoam, plastic, and an air conditioner.
“I’ve never told anyone that because it’s kind of embarrassing,” she admitted. But she persevered, focusing on her product until good things started happening.
Four months ago, Hart made history by opening her own chocolate manufacturing factory.
“I am the only Black female manufacturer of chocolate in America. I’m proud of that, but I hope to see other chocolatiers turn into manufacturing companies,” she said.
Brown Sugar Bakery now receives cake requests from across the globe.
“It always just astounds me, and I’m totally humbled how far people come for the cake. I’m so honored that the cake makes people feel like home,” Hart shared.
Next, Hart plans to grow cocoa in Ghana and bring it to the U.S. for her desserts. “We will be the first in history to take cocoa from Africa and bring it here. And the whole line is Black,” she said.
Hart hopes her story, filled with both challenges and sweet successes, will inspire others. “My message would be that you don’t have to see the positive for it to come. You’ve got to become solution-oriented, and you just can’t think about how hard it is. One day you’ll look back and go, ‘Dang, I did that. That was crazy,’” she advised.
