Baked Fresh: Julie's Sweet Shoppe in Conway.

I've been going to see Julie Goodnight at Ed's Custom Bakery in Conway for ages. Butterfly rolls for Thanksgiving, toad cookies (green glazed toad-shaped sugar cookies) for Toad Suck Daze and doughnuts year-round... Julie knows how to make good stuff and I have been thrilled to work with her, first at Today's THV (now THV 11) and later in my roll as food writer.

Everyone's gotta fly at some point or another, and Julie's doing just that. After 27 years at Ed's Custom Bakery, Julie has left the Oak Street eatery to strike out on her own, taking on the big responsibility of a booming business. On Veteran's Day, Julie's Sweet Shoppe opened its doors to a crowd -- a mass of veterans who have been coming to Ed's each year on that date to enjoy breakfast and a chance to catch up.

Julie's, housed in the former Wimpy's location (which I am a little sad to see disappear from Conway), offers more space for patrons... and Julie herself is offering new things that go beyond the traditional bakery fare -- things like chocolate gravy and biscuits, for one. Things like this Jalapeno Kolache -- which, she says, is a jalapeno-spiced sausage within that lovely bread. Things like sweet buns and scones. Oh yeah.

But the good stuff you're used to from before? It's all still here. Sugar cookies, mammoth sugar-crystal topped muffins, fresh breads and rolls and doughnuts too (yes, even my Kryptonite, red velvet cake doughnuts!). And there are fried pies, which make me happy. Don't fried pies make you happy?


Though I lament the disappearance of my favorite raspberry shake at Wimpy's, I'm quite thrilled about Julie's -- not just because of Julie herself but because I now have a great stopping-off point before I begin journeys up Highway 65. Check out the Facebook page for specials.