New owner of Sugar Jones Bakery in Loves Park to expand the business beyond its sweet treats

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — The new owner of Sugar Jones Bakery is adding a second location that expands the business beyond its signature cupcakes and desserts.

Danna Krischke — an insurance agent, fitness instructor and mother of nine — purchased the business on Sept. 18 from founder Kathryn Pomerene, who had run Sugar Jones since December 2011.

The next step is adding a second location for the business that comes with a healthy twist on what Sugar Jones is known for so far.

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Krischke is preparing to open a new Sugar Jones Cafe inside the former Thrive Cafe space at 6731 Broadcast Parkway. Thrive Cafe closed earlier this fall, and Krischke’s State Farm Insurance agency is right next door.

Now she’s remodeling the space in hopes of opening the new Sugar Jones Cafe before Christmas.

The cafe, which will operate as a second location in conjunction with Sugar Jones at 6336 E. Riverside Blvd., will add coffees and healthy options to the mix of desserts you know.

She pictures a mix of hot and iced coffee, scones, egg sandwiches, oatmeal, fruit smoothies and protein shakes. Cake design will also be run out of the cafe location. The Riverside site will be the main baking hub, with treats from there sold at both locations.

“With me being a personal trainer, I like to have some healthier options for customers as well,” Krischke said. “The easiest way for me to explain what our plan is: It’s going to be a mix of Sugar Jones, Thrive and Starbucks.”

Krischke has been a fitness instructor for 30 years, including about 20 at Peak Sports Club, which is across Perryville Road from the cafe.

She said hopes to build on the Sugar Jones legacy that Pomerene created. She also hopes to build on the bakery’s reputation for great cupcakes. She said cupcakes often steal the spotlight from all the other offerings such as Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, sheet cake, frosting shots, tiramisu, truffles, chocolate covered strawberries and other treats.

“I think Kathy did an incredible job creating the name of Sugar Jones. She was the original bakery here. She was the cupcake place, and it’s still known like that to this day,” Krischke said. “You say Sugar Jones and people see a cupcake, and that’s all they see. … My goal is to move from the legacy she created and just expand that and let people know our bakery offers so much more.”

Krischke, who is raising nine children with her husband, John, said she’s excited for her family to begin to grow the business as their own. If successful, she hopes to one day open Sugar Jones in the Roscoe/Rockton area where they live.

“I really love that Sugar Jones is truly ours, to where we can grow it, we can have our kids do this with us, we can pass it down to our kids, to our grandkids and really have it be a family legacy,” Krischke said.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas