[title subtitle=”WWORDS Liesel Schmidt
IMAGES courtesy Tanner McChristian “][/title]
There’s an old saying offering the advice that life is short, and dessert should be eaten first. And while some may disagree that the adage is wise, there are countless cafes, restaurants, and sweet shops around the world whose sweet treats can prove the prudence of putting that advice into practice. And in Fort Smith, there’s a little bake shop that validates the saying, but also the necessity of following sound counsel. Whether you’re hunting down a quick snack to give you a sugar rush or want to indulge in something truly decadent, you’ll find it at Edible Ideaz. With every variety of cookie, cheesecake, and macaron imaginable, the small shop is big on ideas and huge on flavor.
Created in late 2020, Edible Ideaz is exactly what it claims to be on the window of its brick-and-mortar shop on Tenth Street: an innovative bakery. And this location is indeed the culmination of a dream —something that owner Isla May worked long and hard to achieve. Of course, the story to this little shop begins much the way many small businesses do — grit, determination, and an entrepreneurial spirit that drove them forward, even through the challenges.
“I started baking after I graduated from college because I wanted to start something that could be mine and would also give me more flexibility,” says Isla May. “From there, it’s been planning and consistent practice to perfect the recipes and techniques. Initially, we were selling pick-up orders from home, but it quickly outgrew a home operation. Then, late last year, I started selling macarons through my previous brand, which eventually grew into Edible Ideaz.”
It seems a risky venture, perhaps, starting a business and creating a brand during a world-wide pandemic that has shuttered the doors of many small businesses. But rather than allowing the situation to derail her, Isla May forged ahead and used her talents to do what she does best — sweeten life.
Already known for the macarons that have now become the shop’s claim to fame, Isla May decided that it was time to create an actual company and begin the quest for a permanent location. Fortunately —sweetly — it became a reality in August of this year. “I’ve been baking for as long as we can remember, but I shifted towards macarons two years ago because I saw a lack of options in the area and wanted to introduce something new. We’ve found a great audience for them, and they’ve been incredibly popular,” says Isla May. “It gave me confidence to know I could really do this, and people would want what we had to offer.”
Indeed, people do, as Edible Ideaz has proven that all they create is worth breaking your diet for. Decadent brownies topped with pecans and caramel syrup, cheesecakes that are almost too pretty to eat, macarons that seem to come in every color and flavor, and cookies that will ruin you on store-bought ones. The four bakers at work in the kitchen at Edible Ideaz clearly know what they’re doing with butter, sugar, flour, and all the other ingredients that go into their addictive assortment of confections.
Incredibly, these talented bakers are entirely self-taught. “We watched a lot of online tutorials and learned a great deal through simple trial and error,” admits Isla May. “It took three months of practice to perfect our macaron recipe.” A pastry that requires an incredible amount of patience, delicacy, and technique, the French macaron is often a stumbling block for many bakers.
“We have the best macarons around — that’s something that we’re constantly being told by our customers,” says Isla May. “Macs are very difficult and precise to make correctly, and we’ve spent a long time perfecting our technique and making sure that every batch is the best quality. That’s incredibly important to us, and it shows in our products. Our fillings and flavors are authentic and speak for themselves.”
Vanilla bean, mango, birthday cake, strawberry, chocolate, even Fruity Pebble macarons…these are just a few of the picture-perfect bites lined up in trays behind the display window, like tiny soldiers standing in precise rows. Clearly, this is one group of bakers who follow the whims of their imaginations. It’s where the “Innovative Bakery” comes in and seems to be the secret of their success and what has created such a demand for their products. Isla May couldn’t be more grateful for the support the community has shown.
Naturally, it’s the bakery itself — especially its uniqueness and the quality of everything they offer —that draws that support. “We stand out because we offer specialty goods that people can’t find around here at the same quality and consistency that we provide,” says Isla May. “We make only a handful of baked goods, but we put a lot of care and thought into every item on our menu, and it shows. People love our bright and retro aesthetic in the shop, but it’s really our variety of specialty options that keep bringing them back. We offer a vast assortment of treats that makes everybody happy.”
Offering cheesecakes, stuffed cookies, cake bites, brownies, and — of course — those gorgeous macarons, there’s nothing on the menu at Edible Ideaz that isn’t delicious. Still, their macarons and their cheesecakes are their best-sellers. “We can barely keep our flavored cheesecakes on hand, especially our circus animal cookie cheesecake,” notes Isla May with a note of wonderment in her voice. And gluten-intolerant customers can rejoice — every flavor of their macarons is gluten-free. They’re also working on setting up a rotating menu in the coming months to cater to other dietary needs, including vegan, keto, and dairy-free.
“We love being able to create something unique our customers love. Seeing people excited about our products is extremely gratifying, and it encourages us to keep innovating,” says Isla May. As they keep creating, the demand for their products keeps growing — something that, in all those days of working from a home bakery, seemed a distant dream. But reality has proven to be every bit as sweet as the dream; and Isla May and her bakers at Edible Ideaz are living life, dessert first.
Edible Ideaz
115 N. 10th Street, Suite D102, Fort Smith, Arkansas
Find them on Facebook
479.551.2563
