FAQS
WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS?
At this time, due to needing to remain flexible, my schedule my vary. I work around my other business and my family. Sometimes we have Girl Scouts, Dr's appts, school activities, etc- because life happens. I plan my schedule around the "knowns" of the month, which is why I will always say that my schedule is tentative and may be subject to change. This schedule for the month can be found here on the home page, Google, social media, etc. I work hard to update all the things, but please remember that I am human, and that things can end up overlooked at times.
HOW DO I PLACE AN ORDER?
At this time, we are working off of a modified schedule, which means that we welcome both walk-ins when scheduled and pre-orders when scheduled. At this time, they are one or the other. Since it is just a one woman show at this time, I am unable to coordinate volume for pre-orders and walk-ins at the same time, as it wouldn't be fair to those who have come to wait in line.
WHERE IS YOUR MENU?
I now have a tab that will be updated that is listed as "(insert current month here) Offerings". You can find the monthly flavors, with the pricing, on that page. All pierogi are sold individually, so you can order as many or a little as you'd like once you get to the counter.
You can also order them in a "box" (12-16), a platter (16), or a pan (24+).
To get an idea, here's the base pricing for those-- base price starts at Basic Potato:
Box: $30
Platter: $43
Pan: $60
WHERE CAN I FIND YOUR BUSINESS PHONE NUMBER?
There isn't one. Since I am a one woman show, who is also running another business, sometimes teaching, and also maintaining family balance at home, I do not have one. I am not regularly available enough to justify this as an option. Please direct inquiries to lizz@sweetclebus.com. From there, please allow up to a week for a response at this time. Thanks for understanding.
DO YOU OFFER DELIVERY?
Unfortunately at this time, delivery is not an option. Due to volume, we are unable to accommodate walk-ins and pre-orders at the same time. Thank you for understanding.
DO YOU MAKE GLUTEN OR DAIRY FREE ITEMS?
Unfortunately, due to multiple factors, it is not a viable option for me at this time. I may revisit this much later down the road, but I do not have any intentions currently.
I MAKE MY OWN BAKED GOODS FROM HOME- WILL YOU SELL THEM FOR ME AT YOUR STORE?
Short answer: Absolutely not. Long answer: I have received more emails regarding this than I care to announce on the subject, but believe it or not, I actually find it insulting. I've worked very hard to establish this space (and in a short amount of time). I did the legwork, I did the hustle, and I rented and licensed a kitchen of my own. I did all the cleaning, I did the research, and I've truly dedicated my blood, sweat, and tears to the cause. I've worked very hard to make it to this particular point. I also cannot attest to that what your doing is up to sanitation code without seeing where/how you process your items, and that's way too much of a risk than I am willing to take on at this time. I can recommend ways for you to increase your personal sales and how to drive your business, but I will not do your sales for you. I would be open to possibly hosting "Pop Up" opportunities under certain stipulations, but you will be doing the work to sell your items, not me. I appreciate your understanding on this matter.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO PREP MY PIEROGI?
**I have recently added a "Heating/Freezing" tab to the top for your best pierogi practices. Please check it out!**
HOW LONG WILL THE PIEROGI BE GOOD FOR AFTER I GET THEM HOME?
**Pierogi are best to be enjoyed within 2-3 days of pickup when chilled...** (if they even make it that long!) With proper storage, up to 7 days. They can be frozen if you would prefer to save them.
TO FREEZE: Place on a cookie rack and sit individually. Place rack in freezer. Try to leave individually placed for at least 24 hours before bagging. This helps to keep them from sticking together.
HOW WILL YOUR PHYSICAL LOCATION WORK?
At this time, we have opted to work off of a modified schedule. This is due to volume of people showing up, and me wanting to be able to accommodate as many orders as possible on our busiest days. We have found via trial and error since opening, that the highest volume are Saturday mornings. We have been preparing most stock for Saturdays. Any additional days open will be found on Google, Yelp, and social media. I update all of these outlets weekly as needed - so always check there on scheduled days to verify.
I WILL NOT BE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK. This business will still maintain small batch, quality over quantity, mom & pop style. I do NOT intend on opening multiple locations within the area. It will end up functioning as first come, first served, and once I'm out for the day, I'm out.
I will offer a variety of flavors that will rotate monthly (email subscriptions will receive an email update towards the end of the previous month with flavor availability for the month ahead). I will continue to offer kolackzi and packzi, and will have some other great things to offer alongside those in the near future. *'New' options will not be available immediately. They will be added to the menu and rolled out in phases, as it will continue to be just me for a while. I am hoping to be able to add to my staff no later than 2nd Q of 2022, but there are many factors involved in this being able to come to fruition.
WHERE DID THE NAME 'SWEET CLE-'BUS!' COME FROM?
If you haven't heard the news, I'm a born and raised Cleveland native (Slavic Village, so yes, Cleveland, Cleveland!) who transplanted here over the last decade. The name Sweet CLE-'bus! is a hybrid of my heart and my home. Plus, if you say it fast enough, it's almost tossing a 'Sweet Jesus!' into the universe! As in, "Sweet Jesus! These are some AMAZING pierogi!" ;)
WHY IS MY ORDER NOT RECEIVED HOT?
I am so excited to be the pioneer of this model in the Columbus region! I offer my product fresh and pre-cooked, ready to eat for your own cooking enjoyment! Back home, this is a familiar concept, a pierogi bakery, if you will.
I have always felt a void, and haven't ever been able to find what I was missing with the options available in the region. I am here to bring an authentic, "Cleveland" style experience, and share some of my favorites growing up, with all of you!
WHEN WILL YOU OPEN FULL TIME?
At this time, opening full time is unfortunately not an option. Due to the amount of time and labor needed to produce large quantities, We are finding that it works best for me to be able to have a max of 1-2 walk-in days a week, in order to be able to provide decent quantities independently. While I understand the frustration that this may cause to some, please know that I am often working around the clock, and in order to ensure a proper balance, this was our best option moving forward. As always, please feel free to reach our with any questions that you may still have regarding how we operate.
DO YOU OFFER CUSTOM ORDERS?
I can when I have time. This business co-exists with my other business. Due to this, I can not guarantee availability for your needed date. Please double check with me first to verify, as I would absolutely love to accommodate this if able. In the future, I plan on being able to accommodate a few customs a month in addition to my 1-2 walk in days. I am currently working on logistics for this at this time.
WILL MY PURCHASE OPTIONS STILL BE THE SAME? I NEED THAT PLATTER!
Pierogi platters are still an option at this time! We do not have a kielbasi option anymore at this time, as I am working diligently to secure a vendor for the kielbasa options that I would like.
There is no longer a minimum to purchase, and we do still offer pan fry kits/garlic & dill sour cream regularly as well. I hope to be able to introduce some other options moving forward, but mid summer (don't hold me to that at this time though!).
WHAT IS PIEROGI, EXACTLY?
Well, my friends, pierogi are beautiful, beautiful things. First, the word "pierogi" is actually already plural- the singular is one of my faves. It's pierog.
Pierogi are delicious little dumplings made and filled with love...
So, dough outer shell. Stuffed with either savory or sweet fillings. Savory is the most common option here. So usually, you will find them stuffed with potatoes, meats, sauerkraut, mushrooms, etc. Sweets will usually end up with some variation of apples, strawberries, blueberries, prunes, etc. At this time, I offer savory more often than sweet. Depending on the season, is when I may choose to introduce more of the fruit options vs savory.
*At this time, all pierogi contain dairy/eggs. Please reach out regarding any questions that you may have regarding ingredients.*
JUST HIRE SOMEONE... WOULDN'T YOU BE ABLE TO OPEN MORE THEN?
The kind of work that I do is very specialized, and is quite labor intensive. We need to find the right fit.. Ideally, someone with experience in Grandma's kitchen growing up. Not saying we're limiting to experience only, but at this point, I'm only willing to start from scratch with the right employee. We have hired in the past, and before re-investing in the time for training, we want to be sure that our future employee understands the scope of all that's entailed. In addition, in today's employment climate, we are unable to be competitive with larger, corporate businesses and the perks that they offer.
I ORDERED PLAIN POTATO PIEROGI- WHY IS IT AN ORANGE COLOR?
The answer here is simple! The orangish color actually comes from Paprika. All of my potatoes are seasoned with it, and sometimes, to get the right taste, it may need a little bit more Paprika than other times. Knowing this, that means that the color can very from batch to batch, as there are a few factors that go into potato acquiring the flavor- Potato tends to soak up flavor, without allowing you to taste it at times. Potatoes are always washed, cut, boiled, and mashed in house in small batches to ensure the highest quality available to you for my product.
WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS SPACE IF YOU WON’T OPEN FULL TIME?
Well, we all need to start somewhere. I started this business in December of 2020 as a way to supplement income for my family while attempting to navigate through the pandemic. Everything took off quicker than I could have imagined, and the next step from there, was finding space was licensed and large enough to accommodate my needs. Whille looking for options in the spring of 2021, we recognized that financially, it made more sense for me to license and maintain my own space, as opposed to the minimal options available in our city to host small businesses like mine in their kitchen.
With this option, I am able to maintain the flexibility that is needed with my schedule. My schedule for this business needs to coexist with my other business and the needs of my family. In the future, we will be looking to expanding our hours, but for the time being, I am just grateful to have a space to be able to provide my product to you on a regular basis at this time.