Sugar Shack Records was founded by Gary Feest in downtown Madison in 1981, doing business on West Gorham Street all through the 1980s. In 1990 the store moved to the 100 block of State Street and was there for two years before moving to the 500 block, where it remained for the next 11 years. In 2003 Gary relocated Sugar Shack to its present address on the city's east side, three blocks from the Barrymore Theatre, at 2301 Atwood Avenue.