Manheim Resident Opens Her Own Business

Heather Landis was raised by a single mother. Money was tight, so Heather's mother often served repetitive meals, including spaghetti and chicken potpie. When Heather was 10 and her mother was away, Heather went to the kitchen to play. She remembers making an absolute mess in the kitchen with her friends. "I learned very early on I cannot bake," she said. "I tried and it was terrible!"

After graduating from Manheim Central High School in 1997, Heather worked in many different restaurants as a bartender, a server, and a cook, as well as in other positions. As time went on, Heather decided to go to school for accounting and business management. With her associate degree, Heather worked at flooring company for about seven years, but was eventually laid off. A couple months later, she was hired as an accountant. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was furloughed in March 2020. It was during her furlough that her husband, Steve Landis, encouraged her to take a chance and start her own made-to-order food business. "He said, 'How many times do we have to tell you to do this? If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. Just try it,'" Heather recalled.

So she did it. In the beginning, Heather worked out of her home. Within two weeks, someone reported it. "It was fine, though, because it just pushed me to go bigger," she said. After going through the legal process and filling out the necessary paperwork, Heather found a commercial kitchen in East Petersburg in May 2020. She has been there ever since.

When Heather and Steve were brainstorming ideas of what to name the business, Steve told her she had to find her niche. "The problem is that I don't have a niche!" stated Heather. "I like to cook everything from many different cultures. I traveled to India, Mexico, and Jamaica, and I asked the locals where they ate." From being in the kitchen at a young age to traveling, learning, and watching other people, Heather has gained a considerable amount of knowledge and experience. This has served her business, The Sink, very well.

"Everyone says it's everything but the kitchen sink," explained Heather. "Well, I want it to be everything and the kitchen sink. People need to not be afraid to try new things because you can be amazed by what you think you wouldn't like."

For those who have been considering starting their own business, Heather offered some advice. "It's terrifying," she said. "You have to really, really want it. If you're determined, then do it, but know that you can't please everybody. You must be willing to learn and take criticism."

To learn more about The Sink, visit eatatthesink.com.