Churning Narratives: Telling Stories With Ice Cream, SugarBear’s Emily Harpster is Writing a New Chapter
When Emily Harpster came to Charlottesville in 1999, she wanted to be a storyteller. A degree in Creative Writing from UVa was the plan. But, new passions can pull college students in new directions, and she wound up studying political theory and moving to San Francisco to work for United Way. Two decades later, Harpster is back in Charlottesville, telling stories after all. But, not with words. With ice cream.
Telling stories via a frozen dessert was not Harpster’s plan when she launched her business in 2022. Rather, she just wanted to bring a little light to Charlottesville lives. Ice cream connotes happiness, and the idea behind her business was to weave local ingredients into ice cream to celebrate Charlottesville’s bounty and create happy moments. “Spread a little happy,” as Harpster put it.
SugarBear, her wholesale ice cream business, was born. Even the logo was happy.
Thanks to a lot of practice and training, the community swooned over her creations. Gradually, the boost in confidence that Harpster drew from her competence and the public’s reception freed her to be more creative. That’s when the idea of storytelling began. “I thought I could find a way to use ice cream to help tell stories of Charlottesville, which is a place that I love,” said Harpster. “Over time, I realized I could use it to tell all kinds of stories.”
Initially, she told stories of others. Her Valentine’s Menu, for example, was various kinds of love stories. Not just romance, but friendship too. “It was about trying to communicate the many ways that love can show up and be important in someone’s life,” said Harpster. Take Love You Kouign (pronounced Kween), which blends MarieBette kouign-amann, raspberry pieces, and streaks of raspberry ripple. “I like the idea of someone handing over Love You Kouign to a good friend,” said Harpster.
Wild Woman Whiskey was also popular, Harpster said, combining vanilla nutmeg ice cream with a splash of Ragged Branch whiskey. “I guess a lot of women identified with the stories that phrase can summon,” said Harpster.
Over time, Harpster began to tell not just others’ stories, but her own, too. And now, with the opening of an ice cream parlor, she is poised to tell her most meaningful story yet.
Burgers and Ice Cream Down By the River
When Harpster launched her business, her intent was to be wholesale only. She valued the flexibility it provided, and freedom from commitments that the fixed costs of operating a brick-and-mortar create. But people change. Especially when inspired by other people.
Harpster’s story began last year when she met Wilson Richey, Charlottesville’s most prolific restaurateur. They hit it off, bonding over shared passions like food, hospitality, and people. Her time with Richey augmented those passions, while also inspiring new ones.
Take one of Richey’s favorite films, Babette’s Feast, which they watched together. In it, a poor cook and servant wins the lottery and spends all her winnings to prepare a single extravagant dinner for a group of guests. “It’s about the value and meaning of food and hospitality,” said Harpster. “The food is the point. The space is the point. The time together is the point. The caring for each other is the point. The whole point.”
Harpster and Richey shared a drive to build things that make people happy. For Richey, that was the whole point of his career in creating places like The Whiskey Jar, The Alley Light, The Bebedero, and more. Harpster spent a decade building things for people at United Way, and, after some time away with her children, launched SugarBear as a way to resume building things that make people happy.
Richey admired Harpster’s success, and urged her to push further. A retail location, Richey thought, would only spread more happiness, and deepen SugarBear’s connection to the community. He even had an idea for a location, he told her.
But, before Richey could share his idea, he died in a car accident. Harpster was devastated. As she grieved Richey’s death, she wondered what location he had in mind. Then one morning, she thinks she may have figured it out. Wheels turned. As Harpster reflected on Richey’s legacy, she thought of their shared passion for building things. And she also thought of Richey’s vision for the riverfront area where he had launched his latest restaurant.
Of the many places Richey built for Charlottesville, rarely was he more excited than he was about Högwaller Brewing, the riverfront brewery specializing in smash burgers he opened in July 2023. With the many activities offered by its neighbor Rivanna River Company, Richey envisioned the area becoming a happiness hub. Music, river activities, beer, burgers, fun. All that was missing was ice cream. In fact, shortly before he died, Richey added SugarBear ice cream to Högwaller’s menu.
Harpster suddenly realized that there was a vacancy in the happiness hub. Across from Högwaller was a newly available building – the former home to Double Horseshoe Saloon. “Cheeseburgers from Högwaller and ice cream from SugarBear, down by the river, could be a thing,” thought Harpster. And so, inspired by passions shared with a lost loved one, SugarBear’s ice cream parlor came to be.
Harpster:
This project is about honoring the spirit of someone I loved in the best way I know how. It’s also a story about how the person you love can teach you new things and give you courage, inspiration, and a different perspective. Even after they’re gone.
And, it’s a story about how a person can live on in the love they leave behind. Will’s family, friends, and Ten Course Hospitality folks are truly special human beings. So many of them have put their love and talent into this project. And many more who never knew him, but who were inspired by him, have jumped right in. My fellow small business wholesale customers have been so incredibly kind.
His spirit really does live on.
In describing her vision for SugarBear’s ice cream parlor, Harpster even sounds like Richey: “a magic little ice cream joint.” Music and lights on the patio, a rotating menu of flavors, fun stuff for kids of all ages, and even a firepit. “It’s going to be a part of a bigger magic neighborhood and riverfront scene,” said Harpster, channeling Richey’s happiness hub. “Tubing, kayaking, the riverfront trail, the sauna, cheeseburgers, beer, music, nature, firepits, ice cream, places to play, something for everyone.”
Harpster plans to open by summer. Until then, readers can follow along on the SugarBear Instagram page and find her ice cream at outlets around town,
“I like to think that this would all make him smile,” said Harpster. “I hope that it makes others smile, too.”
