The last year has been an incredibly difficult one for us all. One industry that has been hit incredbily hard by it are small and local businesses. Despite that, Sunderland was named one of the top places in the UK to start a new business in 2019 by The Chronicle, and this has been shown through the last year by the number of new businesses that have popped up.
Here on MackemLife, I absolutely love supporting small and local businesses. In my opinion they add a whole new level to a city and make it stand out against the rest. I have a page here on my blog which is dedicated to Supporting Small and Local, which you should definately check out!
So here are a few new businesses that we cannot wait to be able to support fully after this lockdown.
Six Pier Point, Roker
Six Pier Point opened in July 2020 and was immensly busy between the lockdowns. I was able to get booked in for lunch just after it had opened last summer and the food was incredible. Just about everything is either made in house, or supplied from local sellers and the quality really shows in the food! Thier charcuterie boards are something I don’t really think anywhere in the city is offering right now.
They are open on a Saturday and Sunday for takeaway or preorder from 10am-3pm. Have a look on their instagram for their current menu and prices, and also their contact number for pre-orders.
The Sweet Petite at Mackies Corner
I was able to speak to Laura and Tommy from The Sweet Petite which has just opened at Mackies Corner. That whole building is full of loads of incredible businesses and The Sweet Petite is one of them. Here is what they had to say:
We started as a celebration cake company in 2014. After many a celebration cake, I wanted to venture out of the home kitchen and decided to convert a vintage trailer into a mobile bakery – The Sweet Petite. We attended food festivals and events, we then had a beautiful spot at Seaburn beach through summer 2020. It was great but the weather effected us being there so we looked for a more permanent location. We ended up finding out about the Mackie’s Corner renovation and it was perfect for us. We have been there since Decemeber 2020.
We are a husband and wife team who love food. We specialise in desserts and make a wide range of treats from tray bakes to cheesecakes. Our cheesecakes are probably our most popular product with customers queuing for hours at times to grab their favourite. We have dozens of cheesecake flavours but firm favourites are Sticky Toffee Pud, Trifle, Pav-Lover!
After the successful opening of our little shop at Mackie’s Corner, we’re currently on the look out for an extra baker to keep up with demand. We are looking to extend our opening ours once restrictions are lifted. We will also be offering small seating areas inside and outside where customers can enjoy a spot of our well loved Afternoon Tea complete with home made scones and macarons.
If you would like to give The Sweet Petite a try, you can visit us at Mackies Corner – 103 High Street West alongside some other fantastic independant businesses. Our current opening ours are Thursday-Saturday 2pm-6pm however these will be extended once lockdown restrictions are lifted. See you soon if you’re popping down!
I went to go at the weekend and the queue was right down the street! So if you are wanting to go and grab some of their sweet treats, get their early!
The Fat Unicorn at Mackies Corner
Another businesses within the Mackies Corner development is The Fat Unicorn. They sell a great number of things such as wine, craft beers, and deli items. They pride themselves on selling fresh produce and high quality ingredients. They are open 10am-6pm Tuesday to Saturday. You can follow thier facebook to see what new bits they are offering.
CoffeeHaus
Coffee Culture is becoming an incresinly apparent thing in the city of Sunderland and CoffeeHaus are going to be a big part of that. I was able to speak to Ashley from there and here is what she had to say:
We opened on Saturday October 3rd 2020. Opening during this pandemic has certainly been an eye opener but we’re making it work!
We sell specialty coffee from a roastery based in North Shields. Ran by husband and wife duo, Alex and Kate. They supply us with really excellent coffee that speaks for itself. Great taste, quality and something I can really work with in store. We also sell bakes from local bakers and make our sandwiches in house with fresh sourdough made right here in Sunderland. We’re unique as I teamed up with Port Independent to create an environment that’s attracts a variety of customer. Once restrictions are lifted on some parts of the store, customers can shop clothing, beers to coffee and bakes. The idea of an all rounder kind of shop really works for us. It’s been really well received so far.
We haven’t had sit in service for the coffee shop yet so I’m really excited for that to develop when lockdown lifts. We’re aiming to work on some casual evenings where you can call in after work for a coffee/beer. I like the idea of being able to go some place that isn’t a pub or restaurant. Hopefully we’re the in between that people are looking for.
Our customers so far are such a support and they’re extremely fun getting to know and become a part of their day to day life. People can support us by calling in, saying a quick hello or by telling a friend. Word of mouth has been spreading pretty quickly for Coffeehaus since it opened and people seem pretty happy about it! Also, social media helps a lot. A little share or like means a heck of a lot.
Our current opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 10am-4pm across those days too.
I went at the weekend and the coffee was absolutely incredible. You can tell that they put a lot of love and care into the produce and the flavour. When lockdown is over I can tell this place will be a really popular place to be! Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to show support, or go an visit them if you can!
Yet to Open!
There are even some businesses that are yet to open!
North Beach Coffee Bar
This is one I am really excited about. North Beach Coffee Bar is hoping to open in early May this year. If you go to Seaham often, then you have probably driven past what is currently Tonias Cafe on the corner just next to Seaham Hall. This is where North Beach is. They are currently undergoing rennovations and there is a video on their facebook page which shows the vision of what the project will look like. You should follow them on instagram too to see the business coming to life.
Spent Grain
Spent Grain is a new restaurant hoping to open soon in the city centre. The Sunderland Echo did a great piece on them not long ago and it looks like it will be a great addition to the city centre when it does open. The business is on John Street which seems to be full of loads of new places. It really is going to be a very vibrant part of the city! And the inside of the place looks incredible too! Check out their facebook and instagram to stay up to date with them.
Thank you for reading this post. I absolutely love supporting small and local businesses in and around Sunderland as I feel we are very fortunate to have so many. If there is anywhere you think I should add to this list please let me know!
Stay Safe, Happy Adventuring
Want to feature on Mackemlife? Whether it be my blog, facebook page or instagram, I am always looking for new businesses to work with. If you are interested make sure to have a look at my Work With Me page and get in contact with me!
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