Downtown Angier gets a taste of the past with new soda fountain & candy shop

By Faith Hatton, posted Dec 19, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com

The Little Goat Owner Jenifer Sloan behind the counter of the newest sweet spot in Angier.

Residents of Angier can now experience something sweet while also stepping back into the past.

Located at 28 East Depot Street, The Little Goat Soda Fountain and Candy is the newest addition to Downtown Angier and will be hosting its official grand opening on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

Sundaes, specialty floats and customizable favored sodas are all on the menu!

The restaurant features an old fashioned soda fountain which allows guests to customize their own soda options with more than 10 syrups to choose from, ice cream, hot drinks, milkshakes and plenty of candy, some of which is locally sourced.

The new family friendly space is the dream of first time business owner Jennifer Sloan, who shared that after she and her family relocated into the Town of Angier from the outer area in 2021, she wanted to find something she could do to benefit the small town.

“We didn't plan to be an ice cream, candy and soda fountain. Originally, years and years ago, I talked about owning a bookstore. But bookstores aren't as common anymore. It's just people would rather buy it on Amazon or get it from the library in a small town,” shared Sloan. “And I said, ‘What would a hallmark town need?’ And I thought of Gilmore Girls and Stars Hollow. ‘We need a soda fountain!’ and that's where it came from. What does a small town like this need? It needs a place for people to come and get together and have community and family time and to slow down for just a minute to get back to the way it felt a long time ago.”

Sloan was able to connect with the Angier Chamber of Commerce via a Facebook post advertising the space The Little Goat now calls home. The building, owned by the Chamber, ended up being the perfect fit, located in the center of Downtown Angier and beside the current Chamber office.

Taking her original ideas for what the space would look like, Sloan partnered with local builders and contractors to bring her vision from the page into reality.

The space was conceptualized by Owner Jennifer Sloan and brought to life using contractors and tradespeople from Angier and the surrounding areas.

“When we got the building it was just four walls. There were some places where the floor was falling through, it was a mess. The Chamber of Commerce did some upfitting and then I just got quotes on framing and cabinetry and plumbing and electric and every trades person really just lined up perfectly. Black River Woodwork did my cabinetry, I designed all the custom cabinetry. I drew it out with colored pencil and I sent it to Bob at Black River Woodwork and I said ‘Make this happen for me’ and he did,” shared Sloan. “The plumber, Mennella and Son Plumbing, they are out of Coats and they've just been amazing. When I needed something done at the very last minute to pass my inspection on a Monday, they were here on Sunday afternoon. Young's Electric was amazing to work with; everything that I needed was just done and done with a level of excellence.”

Now The Little Goat is officially opening today, Dec. 19 and will be joining with a Chamber of Commerce for an official ribbon cutting at 12:30 p.m. before being open for their first full day until 8:30 p.m. Guests are invited to join them to experience the space and try samples.

The Little Goat will be open

Monday from 3:30 p.m. -8:00 p.m.,

Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday from 12:30 p.m.- 8:00

Friday and Saturday 12:00p.m.- 10:00 p.m.

Closed on Sunday.

Those hours may be adjusted and for now, Sloan shared that she isn’t currently hiring for staff positions. Instead, The Little Goat will be Mom owned and family run as she has recruited her two youngest sons to help run the shop.

Don't forget the candy! “Old fashioned” candies are also available for sale!

She shared she is proud to see this sweet dream become a reality.

“It's pretty empowering honestly, to see your dream kind of come true. You envision it and you're thinking ‘Oh, what if that might not ever happen?' And then all of a sudden, I'm walking in it. It's pretty crazy,” said Sloan. “My parents had a small business when I was in high school and in college, but I've never owned a small business, my husband's never owned a small business. And so, it was a little intimidating, but it feels like every time we've made a move, the door has been opened. God has opened every door that we needed to get in here and to do all of this and so that's been a blessing.”

You can learn more about The Little Goat and follow along for updates and new promotions on their Facebook Page here.

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