ARMONK, N.Y.- For most small shop owners, it’s probably tough during tough economic times to make ends meet, but local Armonk bakery owner Julie Dickens has it all figured out.

Dickens owns Beascakes Bakery in the Armonk Town Center and she says the key to keeping her business going is having a good relationship with her customers.

“I think excellent service is key,” Dickens said. “If you treat the customer right they’re going to come back. They want good service and actually for me my business keeps growing.”

Dickens, who’s originally from Ohio, bought Beascake’s Bakery about three years ago after moving to New York City to go to pastry school. While there, Dickens began dating someone who lived in Armonk and found that the bakery was for sale and she’s been with Beascake’s ever since.

“There’re so many nice people here in town and I have a lot of great customers who treat me well too,” Dickens said.

In 2008 when The Small Town Theatre Company began producing summer programs in Wampus Brook Park, co-director Sam Morel approached Dickens to see if she’d like to donate some treats for show audiences to enjoy. Dickens enjoys helping Morel, who’s now a friend of hers, and she also has acquired new customers because of it.

“Sam is one of my good customers so he came in when he first started doing the shows in the park,” Dickens said. “Originally we had people come to the bakery but that got too hard so we began setting up a table at the shows. I’ve seen people that have come to the bakery because they went to the show. People who didn’t know about the bakery and the doughnuts and so I’ve built up some regular customers just by doing that.”

Beascakes sells all types of baked goods including cookies, cupcakes, wedding/birthday cakes, scones, etc. Sometimes Dickens even takes special requests from her customers.

“I listen to them [customers],” Dickens said. “If they’re going to take the time to ask me to do something, it’s important to them and I try to realize that and do what I can to make that happen.”

Dickens began using coffee ice cubes in Beascake’s iced coffee upon a request of one of her customers so that the coffee wouldn’t be watered down.  

 

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