I will travel for sweets, so after following Kassi’s Cookies for the past few months on social media, I was finally ready to check out the tiny bakeshop in Mayflower that recently celebrated its first anniversary. This marked only my second visit to the town 25-minutes west of Little Rock. The other found me at Jidona Farms, buying a massive amount of meat. That experience went well, and so did this one.
The small shop includes fun, bright signs, a modern sofa along the far wall and shelving filled with logoed merchandise on another wall. Kassi’s Cookies is filled with joy, and of course, plenty of confections. Owner Kassi Posey was behind the counter on my visit, and her energy is palpable. The young entrepreneur is determined to make her mark on Mayflower.
“I am originally from a small town in Northeast Arkansas called Marked Tree. It is located right between Memphis and Jonesboro. I have lots of family here in Central Arkansas, and to be honest, I’ve always known I’d end up planting my roots here. It’s always felt like home. We chose Mayflower specifically because we attend church at Crosspoint in Conway, and my husband works in Little Rock. Mayflower was a nice, convenient location between the two,” says Posey.
She continues, “I am very thankful we ended up in Mayflower. However, starting a business here of all places has confused almost everyone who enters the doors of my bakery. But coming from a small town like Mayflower, I hate seeing small towns diminish. I want to see them flourish. I am passionate about rooting a successful small business in a little town that might otherwise get overlooked.”
If she’s not careful, Posey’s creations might just put Mayflower on the food map. Like the shop itself, the menu is small but packs a punch. My Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcake with a moist cake, plentiful icing, and a gold-flaked topped strawberry, was as delicious as it was beautiful, as were the two cookies I sampled. While I enjoyed the strawberry cookie, it was the slightly gooey Cookies & Cream Cookie with bits of Oreos scattered throughout that stood out. In retrospect, I wish I was smart enough to have ordered a second one of those for the road.
“People go crazy over my Oatmeal Creme Pies, literally. I once had a couple of customers argue over who would get to buy the last one. Those are a Wednesday-only special. We sell out so quickly when we have those,” says Posey.
Sadly, my visit fell on a Tuesday, so while I missed out on Posey’s pride and joy, I was more than content with my selections, which also included a Gooey Lemon Brownie and the Ooey Gooey Brownie. Do you see a theme here? Posey likes making just about everything a little gooey, and I don’t blame her. It works—yielding a product with the look of a small cake and the texture of a gooey, decadent brownie. It’s addicting, so kudos to her for creating something a little different.
“Other customer favorites are our Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies. The gooey center is 100% what makes them stand out. Other items that are loved by all are our Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Bars and our Gooey Reese’s Brownies. Can you tell we like ‘gooey’ desserts?” asks Posey.
Yes, we can, and there are no complaints. Shockingly, owning a bakery was never part of Posey’s plans.
“It probably was the most unexpected thing to ever happen to me. My friends and family were all very confused, especially since I had just graduated with a degree in Marketing & Advertisem*nt. It was a hobby that very quickly became a passion,” says Posey.
And what brings the owner the most joy?
“The people, hands down. The little kid who gets so excited when they walk in, the husband stopping by to get his wife a sweet surprise, and the college girl who needs a coffee and a cookie to make it through finals. The smiles I see. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing something I baked made someone happier, even in the slightest,” says Posey.
Those desserts sure did make me happy, as did the vanilla bean iced latte that Kassi whipped up. Oh, that’s right, Kassi’s Cookies also has a full coffee bar.
As for the future? Things look bright for Posey and her staff.
“We hope to expand our business in Mayflower. With the new bypass coming in, lots of commercial real estate will also be coming into town. We hope to be in a new, bigger building next year and to have a Conway location before too long as well.”
Here’s wishing her all the best.
Kassi’s Cookies
644 AR-365 (Mayflower)
Phone: 501-621-2772
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Sunday & Monday
*Header pic courtesy of Kassi’s Cookies
