Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim & Lisa Sembach.
Hi Tim & Lisa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We moved to the area 5 years ago to follow our family and fell in love with the town of Central. We had talked for years about running a business of our own and looked into various possibilities. Our love of ice cream and the perfect available Main Street space led us to take the chance, and Central Sweets was born. We didn’t have any experience starting or running a small business. Still, the two of us have complementary skills, so we jumped into simultaneously remodeling the space and researching absolutely everything. We knew we wanted to offer a variety of ice cream, candy, and other treats, but the main thing was to create an inviting space where people could gather. We both have fond childhood memories of riding bikes to the neighborhood candy shop and going to get ice cream with our families. After 5 months of prep, we opened our doors in late June 2022. The outpouring of support and enthusiasm from the town was immediate and continues to grow.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Overall, it has been fairly smooth. We did as much research as possible and utilized available resources, like the mentors through the Small Business Development Center in Clemson. We also talked to other small business owners and joined Ice Cream Business groups on social media. We learned so much this way! We did hit one snag almost immediately. We ran out of waffle cones going into our first weekend. Luckily, the owner of an ice cream shop a couple of towns over, Mama Rae’s, had introduced herself before we opened and said those magical words: “Call if you ever need anything.” So, we called, and she delivered waffle cones to us within hours. We will never forget that. Then, about 8 months after opening, our ice cream distributor discontinued their business. Seriously. We had to find a new ice cream brand and distributor quickly. This was a little scary as we already had regulars coming in for their favorites, but we were able to make the change to a great product. We are happy with our choice and grateful that our customers keep returning.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
From the beginning, we knew we wanted to be known for offering delicious treats in a welcoming environment at an affordable price. Our ice cream brand sets us apart as no one else sells it in any of the shops in the area, and we have a nice variety of ice cream, candy, and baked goods. We’re always trying to offer new things and are open to suggestions. One thing we’ve just started this year is donating half of the sales from our homemade frozen dog treats to a local animal welfare organization. And last but not least, we pride ourselves on our service. We have a fantastic staff of high school and college students who make us proud every day. One thing we hope comes across is how much we love being part of the community. We have this impressive network of Main Street merchants, and Central has very talented people working to make the town a destination and a great place to live. It’s extraordinary. We enjoy being out in town and seeing people we know from the shop. Tim especially loves being recognized as “The Ice Cream Man”!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
Use any available resources. There is so much out there that we didn’t know about at first, like the SBDC and SCORE. Social media is another great resource, as we got a lot of useful real-world tips and tricks from ice cream business owner groups. Talk to everyone! We got tremendously lucky that we started where we did, surrounded by other supportive business owners and a town that wants to see us succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.centralsweets.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centralsweets.icecream/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CentralSweetsIceCream
