A Brief History of the Sugar Shack Cafe in Huntington Beach

By Holly Turner

The Sugar Shack Cafe was established in 1967 at 213 Main Street,
the same location where it sits at today.

The Sugar Shack was established by Pat and Mary Williams.
The Williams were long time Huntington Beach residents,
with four daughters and one son.

One day they were walking down Main Street and saw a for sale sign on a small cafe.
Mary thought to herself - this will be the perfect place for my children to learn the value of money and how to work hard.
They bought the restaurant and raised their children working there.

The cafe sat 22 people and had only inside dining.
In 1979 The Williams decided they wanted to sell the business and move out of town.
They offered it to their children. All of them turned it down except for Michele Turner (Williams second born) and her husband Tim Turner.

The rest is history.

At first the Turner's added two front tables to the outside dining area.

The Sugar Shack Cafe has now grown to 10 tables at the front dining area, 16 tables at the back dining area and 34 seats at the inside dining area.

Michele Turner has always worked behind the counter taking orders
and making sure everyone is happy.
Michele has been know as the "Mother Theresa" of Main Street as she is always there to help out someone down on their luck, or just there
with an open ear and an open heart.

Michele and Tim Turner have 3 grown children, Holly, Ryan and Timmy
that help run the business now.
These young adults also wait tables and help out with the day to day operations.

Many regulars come to The Sugar Shack everyday, sometimes
twice a day because they feel at home.
They say that it is their kitchen too, where good friends meet and eat!