Only in Arkansas: Dempsey Bakery
By:
Updated: October 11, 2012
Downtown Little Rock is home to one of the only exclusively gluten-free bakeries in the country, Dempsey Bakery.
There's nothing better than fresh-baked cookies straight from the oven. But for some folks, they're usually off limits. But not at Dempsey Bakery.
"It's amazing how many people have food sensitivities," said owner Paula Dempsey.
The bakery is 100 percent wheat, gluten, soy and nut-free. Dempsey got to work a few years ago after she learned gluten was contributing to her husband's psoriatic arthritis.
Dempsey said, "One by one our family realized, it's a genetic disorder, so we realized our grandchildren had problems with it, and I realized I have problems with it myself."
And her dream to serve her family tasty treats soon extended to countless others, as her bakery now serves up gluten-free sandwiches and baked goods... even birthday and wedding cakes.
"We do egg-free dairy free products as well, so even the people that are vegan can eat here," said Dempsey.
Opening the bakery required navigating uncharted territory. "There's no school where you can learn it," said Dempsey. "It's just moms and people like me who start baking, so there's no guidance. You really start totally from scratch."
Years of hard work are now paying off, as customers, especially children with severe nut allergies, experience complete freedom in a bakery for the very first time. Dempsey recalls a 10 year-old from Bentonville who said, while sampling sandwiches and sweet treats, "This is better than Christmas!"
To learn more, visit http://www.dempseybakery.com/
There's nothing better than fresh-baked cookies straight from the oven. But for some folks, they're usually off limits. But not at Dempsey Bakery.
"It's amazing how many people have food sensitivities," said owner Paula Dempsey.
The bakery is 100 percent wheat, gluten, soy and nut-free. Dempsey got to work a few years ago after she learned gluten was contributing to her husband's psoriatic arthritis.
Dempsey said, "One by one our family realized, it's a genetic disorder, so we realized our grandchildren had problems with it, and I realized I have problems with it myself."
And her dream to serve her family tasty treats soon extended to countless others, as her bakery now serves up gluten-free sandwiches and baked goods... even birthday and wedding cakes.
"We do egg-free dairy free products as well, so even the people that are vegan can eat here," said Dempsey.
Opening the bakery required navigating uncharted territory. "There's no school where you can learn it," said Dempsey. "It's just moms and people like me who start baking, so there's no guidance. You really start totally from scratch."
Years of hard work are now paying off, as customers, especially children with severe nut allergies, experience complete freedom in a bakery for the very first time. Dempsey recalls a 10 year-old from Bentonville who said, while sampling sandwiches and sweet treats, "This is better than Christmas!"
To learn more, visit http://www.dempseybakery.com/
