Neighborhood Staple 'Sugar Sweet Sunshine' Finalizes Move Down to Grand St

Coming a couple blocks down from their old spot on Rivington.

Lower East Side veterans Sugar Sweet Sunshine have finally completed their move south from Rivington, making 365 Grand St their new home between Kossar's and Pet Island, just off Essex St.

The small business has been owned and operated by Debbie and Peggy since November 2003, when they opened their first bakery at 126 Rivington. Their reputation now as a neighborhood pastry staple may deceive you - the duo were not trained bakers when they started. Both were actresses when they met and decided to open a bakery. The two opened a second location in Essex Market in 2019. Both are downtown locals - Debbie lives in the East River Coops and Peggy in the East Village.

The Rivington location had been an excellent space for them to start and establish their brand over the past 20+ years but a pandemic hit to their customer base and an expected hike in rent made their current setup infeasible. Despite a considerably smaller space, the new location combines a more practical rental agreement with the high foot traffic found along this stretch of Grand Street.

 And outdoor seating coming soon! Grand Street has really blossomed as a hub of outdoor dining - driven mainly by Saluggis, Grand Street Pizza, Kossar's, and Eva's Kitchen. The decades-old bench currently outside Sugar Sweet Sunshine will no doubt serve as a continuation of this environment.

Rex Coffee, which currently has one location in Hell's Kitchen, is rumored to be the replacement at Rivington.