“First and foremost, there were so many unfortunate circumstances targeting African American people at that time, and your heart really poured out for so many of the families affected,” he said. In the summer of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd by law enforcement in Minnesota and a resurgence of Civil Rights protests throughout the country, Lawrence and his staff saw an additional increase in sales from Atlanta residents determined to support local Black-owned businesses. Sweet Stack staff member Kahlia Rasheed prepares one of the shops various ice cream flavors for incoming customers. They tagged us online, shared our accounts with their friends, and let people know that if they wanted to enjoy some great ice cream and help to support a Black-owned business, we were the ones to go too.” “It is all because of the support of our customers. “In 2020, a lot of long-standing businesses in Atlanta closed down, and we are still going strong,” he said. The satisfaction from mobile order customers extended onto social media, with many tagging photos of their “Sweet Stacks” on digital outlets such as Instagram and Facebook. “Even though we were not serving customers in-store, we were able to provide mobile orders through food services like Uber Eats, Grubhub and Doordash. “During the pandemic, the mayor at the time, Keisha Lance Bottoms, allowed many of the businesses of Atlanta to be declared as essential,” he said. “I believe that there are still people living a life conscious of supporting Black business.” Troy Lawrence, the co-owner and operator of Sweet Stack Creamery It was not until early 2020, however, amid a global pandemic, that the dessert shop emerged in an unexpected wave of sales from residents experiencing quarantine. “The students come in and think, ‘This is the place where I want to be.’ There is something about the shop that is very genuine, and you can feel the love the moment you walk in.” “The shop has its own personality,” said Rasheed. on weekdays and midnight on weekends, the establishment immediately garnered a loyal following among students. (Photo courtesy of Troy Lawrence).Īfter a year and a half of assembling accommodations for distribution, property and marketing, Sweet Stack finally opened its doors in September 2018.ĭue to its location on Georgia State’s campus and its flexible hours, open until 11 p.m. Owners of Sweet Stack Creamery, Mohamed Taha and Troy Lawrence. Both met as engineers working with Delta Airlines and, while coming up with ideas for businesses, became enthralled at the opportunity of doing “ice cream with a twist.” Lawrence came up with the idea for Sweet Stack in 2017 with colleague and co-owner Mohammed Taha. “The ice creams that we have and all of the toppings, what you can eat it on, it is as though there are never-ending options,” Rasheed said. Other popular sellers include “Sweet Dreams,” a strawberry cheesecake blend, “Chocolate Fetish,” a chocolate ice cream mixed with chocolate flakes and fudge swirl and “Black Panther,” a combination of activated charcoal, coconut and vanilla wafers. The store’s top-selling flavor, “The Cookie Monster,” comprises blue vanilla, cookies and cream crumbles and chocolate oreo bites. On top of the headlining dessert option, Sweet Stack has also gained notoriety for the unique tastes - and names - of its flavors. “You’re creating a fun experience for families and young adults in a safe environment where everyone can come together and have a good time.” “There is no better business to be in than ice cream,” he said. No one is more excited to witness the excitement of customers than Troy Lawrence, the co-owner and operator of the restaurant. “A lot of them are super excited to try what we have because they have never seen anywhere else.” “They are excited, curious, most get confused because they want to purchase the whole menu,” said employee Kahlia Rasheed. Needless to say, the “Stack,” also served with chocolate chip and sugar cookies, elicits a unique response from customers upon the first introduction. The prized item of the restaurant is the self-titled “Sweet Stack,” an ice cream sandwich assembled with a sliced donut making up the top and bottom halves, which is then heated on a hot oven grill and decorated with an assortment of toppings and sauces.
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