Who are you, and what is your business? 

Hi, we are Joshua and Cindy Hopkins. We own The Sweet Spot, an ice cream shop in South Pittsburg that opened in September 2021. It is located next to the post office and directly across from the SP Elementary School. 

 

What is your product or service? 

We sell hand-dipped ice cream, select baked goods, and specialty candies. We offer 18 different flavors, including sherbets, sugar-free and dairy-free products with 25 different toppings to choose from. We make amazing milkshakes, sundaes, banana splits, and floats. 

 

How did you get started? 

We wanted to open a local business where our family could all participate. Three generations are helping out at any given time. We want to support our community and look forward to hiring some local people soon. We thought having something fun for youth, teens, and families would serve the area well with the location we acquired.

 

How has the Chamber helped you? 

The Marion County Chamber helped with our grand opening, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, advertising, and the opportunity to meet some great people. The Chamber keeps us up to date with other local businesses opening. They show support for all our events by spreading the word through emails.

 

Any interesting facts about you or your business? 

We LOVE celebrating holidays. We had a Santa Picture event before Christmas. We will be doing something fun for Valentines Day. We enjoy hosting Birthday parties and really love when our local church groups come in. We listen to our customers and implement their suggestions when you can.

 

Why Marion County?

In searching for a small town to raise our children in we came across Marion County. Both my husband and I were raised in smaller towns further north. We have almost always been entrepreneurs and knew we would open a business where we live as soon as we could. 

 

Is there anything fun you can share about who your target market is?

Our target market is the whole community, anyone who loves ice cream! We focus on keeping prices reasonable so that families and senior citizens can enjoy it, too. 

 

Are there local community groups you are affiliated with? If you are, how so?

We are currently only a part of The Chamber. We do as much as we can to support our local schools, sports teams, and community.

 

What do you want your legacy to be?

We would love for our children and grandchildren to work at The Sweet Spot. We want them to be a part of any and all businesses we have. Our goal is to raise them with the knowledge and understanding of what it takes to run a business, then eventually give them the option to take over if they choose to.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

All limitations are self-imposed. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

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