Jolted in Suring opened as a coffee shop and purveyor of freeze-dried foods — in particular, candy — but has quickly grown to reflect the founders’ passion for their hometown.
Laura Hackey and Jennifer Bayer are best friends who talked about opening a business together for years. Bayer owns Bayer Furniture and Hackey, who has done a bit of everything, grows food.
“When I was a kid, [Suring] was the place to be. We had two grocery stores, we had a theater, we had a newspaper stand, we had a meat market. We had everything,” says Hackey, who grew up in nearby Breed.
As industry moved on from the community, Suring became a place people drive through on their way to vacation homes or resorts farther north.
Hackey and Bayer saw opportunity and settled on opening a coffee shop and candy store.
“People needed somewhere to sit and meet and mingle,” Hackey says.
The freeze-dried candy and food came after Hackey talked to some children she saw eating freeze-dried candy they had purchased off the internet. It was imported from China; with her knowledge of growing and preserving food, Hackey believed she could do better.
The business is USDA-inspected and commercially licensed, with Hackey operating four freeze-drying machines. The fruits and vegetables are grown by Hackey or other local producers.
Hackey says freeze drying preserves food’s nutritional value better than other processes. She learned the process through reading courses but also through trial and error and now wants to educate others how to preserve and prepare meals with the food.
“My grandpa taught me every day you don’t learn something, you’ve wasted a day,” says Hackey.
The store opened in February 2024, but challenges with temperature controls led them to move to a new — its current — location in July of that year. The new location also presented new opportunities.
“If we were just a coffee shop, it would be a struggle,” Hackey says.
They started offering products from a local lavender farm, stained glass, books from local authors, birdhouses and other handmade crafts and gifts. All of the products are locally sourced.
“We support every aspect that we can with the community,” Hackey says. They recognize that freeze-dried candy gets people in the door (who wouldn’t want to taste a freeze-dried ice cream bar?), but hope the growing variety brings return customers.
“If you give people what they want, they come back,” Hackey says. “The support we have had from the community has been outstanding.”
Having missed part of the spring and summer season last year, Hackey and Bayer are curious to see how business grows this summer. They envision growing enough to offer employment for young people in the community and allowing them to focus more on their other business ventures.
“It ain’t about the paycheck for either one of us, but obviously that’s our goal,” Hackey says. “There’s never been one day I didn’t want to go to work. I get to work with my best friend.”
