Sugarland hopes to keep current location

Katrina Ryan does not want to move Sugarland Bakery from its Franklin Street location.

Ryan, who leases her bakery’s location from the University, applied to expand into the adjacent UNC-owned storefronts in April but was denied. She said her need for extra room caused her to seriously consider moving Sugarland to Raleigh.

Then, last week, Julian’s owner Alexander Julian offered her additional freezer room in the building he owns next door to Sugarland.

“We’ve had people — including Alexander Julian — say, ‘I’ve got space,’” she said.

She said she now hopes to stay on Franklin, although she said the terms of her lease with the University remain “crummy.”

“We love our spot,” she said. “We really built it with the intention of it always being here.”

The space issue

Ryan said her dilemma began about a year ago, when she began to look for extra room for her growing bakery.

She said that she already rents freezer space at University Florist on East Franklin Street to deal with her overflow, but it wasn’t enough.

“We love our partnership with University Florist, but that’s not a sustainable business model going forward.”

Her quest for extra room prompted her to file for the extra University storefronts, and she said she was surprised when the UNC Property Office denied her request.

Jeff Kidd, director of the UNC Property Office, said a committee evaluated Ryan’s application and determined Sugarland was not the best fit.

When deciding who the University will lease property to, Kidd said, a committee evaluates the business’ finances and diversity of storefronts.

Kidd said it would not be ideal to have four eating establishments in the same building.

The property office also denied Sugarland’s request for an additional parking spot. Kidd said the office is starting a new policy of limited parking because the crowded lot behind the building is difficult for waste disposal vehicles to access.

Ryan also applied in April for a renewal of her lease, which is set to expire in 2012.

The property office gave her a draft of the lease on Friday that included one parking spot and no expansion possibilities for the bakery, she said.

“All that has changed is that the University gave me a piece of paper with those crummy conditions,” Ryan said.

She said the parking reduction is especially problematic, because it will force her to pay for parking for one of the bakery’s two delivery vehicles.

Although the University did not give the bakery space to expand, the office is negotiating with Sugarland to keep it in its current spot and find ways to fulfill its increasing needs, Kidd said.

Alternate plans

Ryan said Julian’s offer could allow her to expand next to Cosmic Cantina and remain in Chapel Hill. She said she didn’t want to relocate, because she believes her business has a place in the town.

Ryan said she is also considering keeping her Franklin Street location and expanding to Cameron Village in Raleigh.

She said she is hopeful that she will find a way to stay in the town, where Sugarland has a loyal following.

“It is the business that everyone wants in Chapel Hill,” she said.

Jordan Humphrey, a junior at the University, said she would be sad to see Sugarland leave.

“I think it’s part of the culture of Chapel Hill,” she said.

Ryan said she plans to make a decision by Oct. 1.

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