Sweet Success Back Home

By Rachel Bass

If you ever find yourself in Iowa with a sweet tooth, be sure to make a stop at The Sugar Shack Bakery in Sioux City, owned by ENMU alumna Claudia Hessa (BA 86). A recent winner of Food Network’s special state cookie award, Claudia is an ENMU Psychology graduate and is testament that life doesn’t always take you down the path originally planned.

A Sioux City, IA native, Claudia chose to attend Eastern because she was looking to get as far away from home as possible.

Claudia Hessa, founder of The Sugar Shack Bakery.

“ENMU was an awesome learning experience,” said Claudia. “The people down there were amazing. I met my husband of 31 years because he was stationed at Cannon Air Force Base. So a lot of good things came from it.”

After graduation, Claudia went on to work in sales. Moving around with her husband for the Air Force made it difficult to keep a steady job, but Claudia had always had a passion for baking so after her three children were born, the busy mom saw an opportunity in her Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group. Since so many of the other mothers just didn’t have extra time to bake, Claudia asked the other MOPS moms: If she made the treats, would they be willing to buy them?

The first taste test answered that question; the delicious bars, cookies and cakes were a hit.

11 years later Claudia is back home in Sioux City where her passion project has transformed into a full-grown bakery, and the desserts are definitely something to write home about.

The Sugar Shack Bakery cookie that was selected to represent Iowa in Food Network Magazine’s ‘On the Road’ series this past December.

This past December, The Sugar Shack Bakery’s cookie, decorated with an idyllic snow-covered bridge, was chosen to represent Iowa in Food Network Magazine. Claudia’s dessert shooters and mini apple pies also won Best Dessert at last year’s March of Dimes dinner in Sioux City. Her cakes and cookies have won numerous awards from the Upper Midwest Bakery Association and the River City Confectioner’s Association (RCCA).

Running a bakery isn’t all chocolate fudge and sprinkles though, and managing the employees is the biggest challenge Claudia faces.

“You can bake, you can decorate, but to manage everybody and make sure everything is running smoothly… it should be like a well-oiled machine, but it doesn’t always work out that way. I feel like we’re always putting out fires—but, no, not literal fires,” she laughed.

Claudia’s children have all helped out in the shop since they were young, mixing frosting and taking care of customers. Her daughter, Christel, is now a junior at ENMU studying industrial mathematics and statistics.

“I love my mom and I’m super proud of her,” Christel beamed. “She’s never wanting to talk about it, but she’s done so many amazing things. It basically started in the kitchen in a tiny little house, and as it got bigger it started taking over rooms. It grew a lot bigger than she ever expected, but she just works so hard and we’re so proud of her.”

Needless to say, the future is looking sweet for this Eastern entrepreneur. There are a handful of new desserts in the pipeline, and the news will be revealed on the Sugar Shack Bakery’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages within this next year.

Go to thesugarshackbakery.com to check out their creations.