Muncie flood forces business owner to start over

The flood from this summer deeply affected families, homes and the lives of people who reside in Muncie. For some businesses, the flood put a pause on the everyday operations that keep clients coming in. Saniah Davis, owner of Sweet Tooth, had dreams of opening her ice cream shop until the flood reached the corner of Kirby and Hackley Street.

That same street is where Davis’ childhood lies. Her grandparents once both owned buildings and hosted community events that brought the block all together.The building that now stands as Sweet Tooth was passed down to Davis from her grandfather, who ran a deli in the shop.

“So by the time it was my time to take over the building, I kind of always knew what I wanted it to be,” Davis said.

Right before opening her doors to the public, the flood rushed Muncie– the heavy winds blew a tree on top of her shop. The tree was strong enough to leave a hole in the roof, leading to debris spread across the floor, a moldy ceiling and knocked out all the power in the shop.

“This could have been something booming this summer that everybody could have been part of. And now it’s like, we have to prolong it,” Davis said.

With an estimate of $60,000 for repairs, Davis called for government help but explained that they were slow to answer. Her sister Chelcee Davis runs her own hair shop across the street and says the community has stepped up.

“Everybody around the neighborhood was calling us the next day, like, ‘Hey, how can I help? What’s going on? ’ jumping out their cars. And seeing that was like, dang, my community really wants to see this, you know,” Chelcee said.

Organizations like Habitat for Humanity and community members support Davis throughout this tragedy, giving hope to Davis to continue what she started.

“So it just means that anything can happen; we got to stay more prepared and more ready for things. I’m ready to just keep pushing forward,” Davis said.

The storm might have halted a dream, but the strength of family and community helps Davis persevere. Davis has a GoFundMe set up, and it has received over a thousand dollars. She hopes to open Sweet Tooth in May 2027.

Contact Kahmara Munn with comments at kahmara.munn@bsu.edu.

This article is republished as part of a collaborative content-sharing agreement between Ball State Unified Media and Indiana Public Radio, established to expand access to high-quality journalism and to better inform and serve the public through trusted, in-depth reporting.