Sweet Story: How Laramie’s Sugar Mouse Got It’s Name

The Sugar Mouse Cupcake House charms visitors the second they see the place. Nestled on the corner of 2nd Street and Garfield in Laramie, the quaint bakery's eclectic array of Victorian-style decor and cheery pink accents would not look out of place on the set of Netflix's 'Bridgerton' television. Serving British candies, tea, lunch, and sweets, it's a taste of England, over 4,000 miles away from the streets of London.

The English charm is intentional - it's a piece of home that Ruth Williams brought with her from across the pond. Ruth was born and raised in South Essex, England, but found her way to Laramie after falling in love with a man from Wyoming.

Here in the Gem City of the Plains, Ruth found herself on a surprising path. While Ruth waited for an appointment with her hairdresser, she stumbled across a magazine detailing the horrific sex trafficking trade in Cambodia. "I read about a little girl out there...and it broke my heart." Ruth shared, hands clenched and eyes downcast as she spoke.

Ruth knew then she had to do something. "So I started getting involved with the lady who rescues these kids. And, pretty soon, it became, well, it just got bigger and bigger. Then, I started a nonprofit called Heart Mothers, which supports their rescue. And I find women to mentor these girls." Ruth rolled her shoulders back as she spoke and met my gaze. There was an edge of determination in her voice, inspiring.

But how, I wondered, did Heart Mothers relate to the Sugar Mouse?

"About ten years ago, we had a funding crisis at the orphanage and the girls went from three meals a day to two and only protein once a week," Ruth explained. "We knew we had to do something quickly to provide meals and food for them. So we thought we'd do a bake sale at the farmers' market. I've got over a hundred women in my organization, and several of them live in Laramie. So we thought, you know, between us, we can, we can do this every Friday and, you know, and send the girls some money."

Ruth and her volunteers set to work. The little tent selling cupcakes at Laramie's farmer's market soon exploded into a beloved spot for Laramie residents to treat their sweet tooth. It was a roaring success, and Ruth could send much-needed funds to Cambodia. Not long after opening at the market, Ruth needed to upgrade her location to a storefront - thanks to her determination and Laramie's love, the Sugar Mouse Cupcake House was born.

How the 'Sugar Mouse Cupcake House' Got Its Name:

But why name it 'Sugar Mouse'? Smiling, Ruth chuckled. "I don't have this on the website because it sounds like a sob story, you know...But if people ask, I tell them."

And so she launched into her story; I was instantly captivated. For Ruth, the Sugar Mouse holds considerable significance in her life.

Growing up, Ruth faced devastating tragedies. Her brother passed away in a horrific accident, and soon thereafter, Ruth's mother took her own life. Ruth's father raised the family alone, persevering through financial hardship. "My dad was amazing and made it every bit as good childhood as he possibly could," Ruth explained.

"But every day when going to school, I'd go down to the shop on the corner with my friends, and then they'd all go to the bus. I guess I'd walk to school because I didn't have bus money then. They'd all go in this little sweet shop, and I never even thought about it, but they'd all buy all their sweets, and of course, I never had the money for sweets." Tears in her eyes, Ruth continued, "The little old man who had the sweet shop would always give me a little sugar mouse, which, at the time, I didn't get. As a child or a teenager, I didn't understand the kindness of that."

Ruth wiped away a tear (I also had to wipe away a tear quickly; the smile on her face was heartwarming.) "And so that was kind of the inspiration behind the Sugar Mouse."

The Future of Laramie's Sugar Mouse

There's a bright future ahead for the Sugar Mouse. Right now, the shop is renovating the basement into a tea and party space for children. Ruth's mission is to spoil any child who pops into her shop. "I want to give them something magical," she said.

And where will the future take Sugar Mouse? Far, far beyond Laramie, according to Ruth. "We have three people wanting to franchise," she explained. "One is in Fort Collins, Texas, and the other is on Long Island." For a small-town cupcake shop, that's impressive, to say the least.

Franchising a Sugar Mouse shop has an extra requirement for business owners: "The one stipulation I have is they have to donate a certain percentage of their income to a charity of their choice. It doesn't have to be My Girls in Cambodia,  and it doesn't have to be much. It can be 1 percent if they want...But the Sugar Mouse has to stand for giving." Ruth affirmed. "The Sugar Mouse has to stand for good."

5 Things to Know About the Sugar Mouse

1. The Sugar Mouse serves more than just cupcakes. The establishment also serves a full English tea service, serves up delicious lunch items, and has a large array of English candies in the shop.

2. The Sugar Mouse has gluten-free cupcake options.

3. The Sugar Mouse accepts pre-orders and delivers cupcakes!

4. The Sugar Mouse hosts birthday parties and tea parties.

5. The Sugar Mouse cupcake selection can vary seasonally, so pop in often to see what's new!

Learn more about the Sugar Mouse by visiting https://www.thesugarmouse.net/