Brittany Sigal – Montavilla News

Zuckercreme adopted a new operating model in 2024, incorporating other independent business owners into the shop. Owner Brittany Sigal has always made space in her storefront at 414 SE 81st Avenue for pop-up vendors and special events, and now that supportive perspective will extend into the main shop. People can always visit the space from noon to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, for cafe items and shopping. The store is stocked with items from a collective of creators and some of Sigal’s favorite local products. For extended hours with unique offerings, the shop will publish a monthly events calendar at zuckercreme.com detailing when collective members and other vendors take over the space.

Zuckercreme celebrated its second year last October, and the business model has evolved over the past 27 months. Brittany Sigal always planned on having a collective shop model instead of hiring staff. “That wasn’t really my goal, the employee-boss model. I always wanted something more cooperative,” explained Sigal. Those plans picked up pace late last year because Sigal is expecting a new addition to her family and has a few months to bring in the extra hands needed to keep the store open. Sigal intends to be in the shop 20 hours a week with collective members covering other times and operating events.

In addition to expanded hours from partner business operators, Zuckercreme offers online ordering so people can shop at any hour. The coffee, tea, espresso, and warm menu items are available during regular cafe hours, but collective members will offer some menu items during the events. Customers can also order pastries, treats, and ice cream most times the store is open. The regularly occurring events include workshops, pop-up markets, and craft socials. Sigal says the store will keep with the seasonal themes that customers enjoy.

Fans of Zuckercreme have grown to appreciate the variety of the space and the serendipity created by special events and pop-ups. Brittany Sigal has embraced the idea of continually redesigning the store experience. She expects people will find that the collective configuration carries on that tradition while offering stable staffing for the store. People should follow the Zuckercreme Instagram or visit the website for upcoming events and seasonal themes. Read below for a listing of collective members appearing in the shop this year.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

TREATS

Babkush @babkushpdx
Babkush is a small-scale bakery producing seasonal and holiday treats inspired by the food traditions of Jewish communities from around the world. Zicra Lukin began the business in 2021 as a pandemic pivot towards work that was more sustainable, enjoyable, nourishing – and delicious! Babkush is committed to building a business that aligns with Jewish values, including donating a portion of sales to organizations working to advance justice in different arenas.

Bowl & Whisk @bowlandwhisksweets
Bowl & Whisk creates elevated and indulgent rice crispie treats, blending familiar flavors with unique colors and textures. Nora Tom’s gourmet crispies are inspired by the natural beauty and endless bounty available in Oregon, often featuring local ingredients produced in the Portland area.

Hound Dog Ice Cream @hounddogicecream
Hound Dog Ice Cream is run by Geneva Chapler as an ode to her love of ice cream and beloved hound dog, Henrietta – her small batch ice cream focuses on seasonal & fun flavor combinations with homemade mix-ins and nostalgic treats.

Poppy Shop @poppyshopportland
Poppy Shop is a small-scale bakery producing 100% plant based farmer-forward pastries and treats by Megan Prendergast.

ART

Bunnnnyart @bunnnnyart
Bunnnnyart is run by Bunny Gentry, a pdx based queer artist that loves all things cutesy! They work with several different mediums with a focus on ceramics and jewelry making.

Chet & Dot @chetanddot
Jenn Hill started Chet & Dot with a focus on creating handmade heirlooms for little ones, gifts, and home. Using sustainable and low impact materials, Chet & Dot creations are inspired by mid century illustration and design which is present in a colorful cuteness throughout. Whether it’s a needle felted wool kitty wearing a handmade dress or paper mâché strawberry wall light, Chet & Dot products are lovingly made with attention to detail.

Clammy Heart @clammyheart
Clammy Heart is an apparel & art studio founded by Penelope Wickman with a focus on the simple joys that make life a little happier. Animals, fruits & vegetables, flowers & nature motifs; all with dollops of playful nostalgia and that are perfectly cottagecore. Everything at Clammy Heart is embroidered in-house in our Portland studio.

Crashbox Shop @crashboxshop
Crashbox Shop is the whimsical brain baby of local queer artist, Frankie Foades, who is inspired by the slightly unsettling fever dream of childhood. They make use of bold colors and upcycled materials in their funky accessories, home goods, and jewelry.

Doodled Threads @doodledthreads
Doodled Threads is composed of Juan, the ice-dye guy and Emma, the embroiderer. Together, they combine their artistic passions to create colorful, one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed and hand-embroidered pieces. They love to upcycle, customize, and make art that you can wear and decorate with!

HoneyDoo Vintage @honeydoopdx
HoneyDoo Vintage is curated by Caroline Pittman and dedicated to providing high quality true vintage + secondhand clothing to help you become your own fashion icon! Caroline loves sourcing pieces for every gender and from every style, particularly bright colors, fun patterns, and timeless vintage glam.

Inner Frog Art @innerfrogart
Inner Frog Art is a small art studio by Kayla making silly, sweet, and gay art for your heart!

Penfelt Studio @penfeltstudio
Penfelt Studio is the brainchild of LeBrie Rich, who has been exploring the visual possibilities and emotional resonance of felted wool since 2004. She is best known for updating the traditional crafts of felting and embroidery by creating highly detailed soft-sculptural replicas of familiar packaged food items, such as Jif peanut butter and Spam. Take a workshop at Zuckercreme and explore the magical world of felting for yourself!

Rose & Fern @roseandfernclay
Rose & Fern creates happy clay earrings and accessories for happy hearts lovingly made by Alexandra Barbaria.

Sam Pletcher @sampletchergoods
Sam Pletcher is an artist who plays with many different mediums such as paint, sequin, digital, etc. You’ll find goods ranging from one of a kind hand-painted shirts to digitally illustrated prints to patches with hand sewn sequins. Her art often reflects her own personality; a sensitive and observational person wrapped up in an exterior of bright colors, playfulness, bold graphics, and bad jokes.

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On October 1st, Zuckercreme will open a new Montavilla location at 414 SE 81st Ave. After less than a year in the Brooklyn neighborhood, owner Brittany Sigal decided to relocate the shop closer to home, taking over the former INVOKE space. The store will sell a curated selection of locally produced products and menu items.

Seasonal variety guides the selections offered to customers at Zuckercreme. Starting Friday, the shop will feature items under the collective theme of pumpkin spice & everything nice. They work with different bakers to offer a special rotating menu, along with coffee and tea drinks. Seasonal treats and drinks are only one part of the shop’s offerings. Each theme will encompass a selection of fitting homewares, vintage items, artwork, clothing, accessories, and ceramics. The space will also host scheduled workshop events.

The idea of seasonality is essential for Sigal’s vision of Zuckercreme. “I love the idea of a shop telling time. Rotating themes and being in sync with the time of the year means I’ll always be moving forward, and I’ll never get bored.” Sigal imparts her excitement for seasonal transformation to the customer through all the senses. “Zuckercreme is meant to create a temporary world where you can fully immerse yourself in an experience and enjoy the tastes, smells, colors, and memories of that season. Food is a big piece and what I believe connects us to each other. I wanted a way to work with people that would allow them to participate based on their own nostalgia, culture, and personal taste.”

Like the store’s aesthetic, Zuckercreme’s name stems from nostalgia. “Zuckercreme is sugar cream in German. My family is German, and I’m from the good ol’ midwest, Indiana. Sugar cream pie is Indiana’s state pie and what I always grew up eating.” Explained Brittany Sigal.

The business began last June as a Saturday market titled the strawberry museum. It contained a small retail area and space for food vendors to sell treats. By July, they had expanded into a cafe. Thursday and Friday featured morning cafe service with retail and the occasional workshop. Saturday continued as the collaborative market day, and Sunday featured a special brunch. By August, they started offering dinner service on Thursday nights.

Although expanded food service seemed to be the direction Zuckercreme would grow, the location did not fit. “I was unsure of the future of the space, and the cafe didn’t work as well because the shared space I was in was more of a destination spot rather than somewhere that would have foot traffic, which is what I needed,” explained Sigal. Over the few months at the shop’s last location, they were able to test out ideas and figure out what worked and what needed to change. “This [experiance] very much shaped my future shop because I realized I wanted to do more retail and workshops with a small cafe and still host the community markets. I needed a better spot to make that successful, where there would be foot traffic, and I could make my own hours.”

*Mural artist Brianna Vizcaino (@briannasinpajamas) painting shop’s wall*

These discoveries were not something that Brittany Sigal could instantly implement. It was not until the space in Montavilla opened up that the future iteration of Zuckercreme became a reality. “I don’t think I would have moved forward with taking on the risk of running my own space if I had not gotten the one I’ll be in,” commented Sigal. The new space does not contain a kitchen limiting the menu at this new location. However, according to Sigal, food is still an essential part of the shop’s future. “We will either have the seasonal coursed meal experiences off-site if we find another pop-up spot closer to Montavilla or do menus that don’t require a full commercial kitchen.”

Many details regarding Zuckercreme are in development and will likely continue to transform over the years. By design, the space will appear different to customers between visits but remain familiar. By continually changing, customers will need to visit often to see what’s new. Fortunately, being located within Montavilla Town offers a good amount of foot traffic to pull the curious and adventurous person of the street and into the shop. Starting this Friday at 9 AM, consider adjusting your path to stroll along SE 81st Ave and see what creations are for sale at Zuckercreme. The store is open from 9 AM to 5 PM, Wednesday through Saturday. Sundays, they host a community market from 10 AM to 2 PM.