Happiest place in Marshfield

There is a place in Marshfield that everyone needs to visit at least once. It’s a place filled with wonder, joy, and a blast back in time to your childhood with its nostalgic toys and candy. It’s been coined by some as “The happiest place in Marshfield” but its true name is “Sully Loves Sugar”. 

Sully Loves Sugar started out as a side hustle for Amanda Stroup, the owner and lead brain behind the magical store in Marshfield. 

“I was in a couple stores in Springfield doing dog stuff. Doors started opening through that. When I was a vendor at Clay Street I was focused more on kids stuff,” reflected Amanda Stroup, owner of Sully Loves Sugar. “I had a whole other job at the same time in a different field and it just wasn’t where I wanted to be. I wanted to be more involved with the community directly. It became harder and harder to juggle everything.”

“I felt really pulled strongly in the one direction (opening her own store) and so that’s what I did. I don’t even think I was really ready,” laughed Stroup. “A spot popped up and I talked to my husband about it…we just took a chance.”

“Expect the unexpected,” Stroup laughs when telling someone what to expect when visiting her store. It really is like walking into a real life version of Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. There are toys for your kids, toys for your dogs, candy, stickers, journals, pins, and so much more. “When I first opened I thought I wanted to run with a boutique type kids store where we carried kids clothes and jewelry and intermingled the toys and plush,” reflected Stroup. “But real quickly it became obvious just from the customer interaction that that wasn’t what they wanted to see from us. If you really stop and listen and pay attention, the community, the customer base-they will tell you what they want.”

As Sully Loves Sugar evolved and grew not only did the customers guide the direction of the store, but they also highlighted an area to Stroup that Marshfield was missing: Sensory Toys. 

“I have some family members that deal with some sensory issues. My own daughter is sensitive to a lot of stimulations. So those things (sensory toys) have been very good for her. I’ve always searched out those things for my own personal reasons,” shared Stroup. “When I am picking and choosing products for the store those are always at the forefront for me.”

“I don’t think I even realized it at first, but I would have people say to me or introducing me as ‘Oh she carries all these sensory products, educational toys, all these things that would be good for your classroom or child or cousin’,” laughed Stroup. “I started to seek those (sensory toys) out more and more. A lot of what guides me when I purchase is that items have to tick a few boxes: one, it has to be a need and two does it make me happy-when I see it, when I play with it, does it make me smile or giggle or a flash back to when I was a kid.”

Of course it takes a team to make the dream work and Stroup insists she couldn’t do it all alone. “I’m the sole owner, but my husband is the ‘yes’ man as far as if I have a vision. He’s not always excited about it but he always makes things happen,” laughed Stroup. “Morgan, I’ve known Morgan for many many years. She came in the store one day and we got to talking…that quickly turned into ‘Why don’t you join me’. She is like my bestie in charge. Then I have Ella of course, she’s the TikTok queen, she does all our graphic design, social media, that sort of thing,” reflected Stroup.  

While most might think of Sully Loves Sugar as a place for kids, Stroup insists it’s a store for everyone, “We have a lot of adult customers too, fully functioning adults, but they come in and they want to play.” Whether you are searching for a birthday gift, a jelly bean snack (there are 70 flavors to choose from), a treat for your doggo, or just a chance to escape the every day, Sully Loves Sugar is the place to visit in Marshfield.