By Jennifer R. Farmer
I love bakeries. That’s likely obvious as I launched an entire blog dedicated to my love of sweet treats. However, I should be specific; I love bakeries that offer distinct-tasting and beautifully decorated sugar cookies, and moist cakes and cupcakes. For much of my adult life, I’ve been on a mission to find and celebrate amazing bakeries.
When I travel for my day job, I find and enjoy local bakeries. Having done this for years, I can confidently say that Columbus’ bakery scene can easily rival larger cities. I’ve always enjoyed visiting bakeries in our region, and in 2024, our bakery market is thriving.
There is truly a bakery for every palette, and bakeries in almost every quadrant of the city. The Original Goodie Shop in Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus, is a new favorite. Located near Littleton’s Market, you can visit the bakery and go grocery shopping, in that order. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve left my home in the dead of winter, traversed the snow, in order to get cookies from this star bakery.
I recently caught up with the owner, Emilie Smith, whose family has owned the bakery since 1967 (It originally opened in 1955). She is the third generation of Smith’s who has owned the establishment. A full-line, retail bakery, The Original Goodie Shop offers everything from wedding cakes, to buns and donuts, to cookies and cakes, to sugar cookies, tea cookies and chocolate chip cookies. They even offer dog biscuits. They are known for their cinnamon sticks, a fan favorite at this community-prized business.
As a busy, working mom, I appreciate practicality of The Original Goodie Shop as it is a one-stop shop. If you’re in a rush and need dinner for yourself or family, their homemade frozen pizza is sure to please. If you’d like to add a salad to the menu, their homemade croutons are packed with flavor. Need candles for a birthday or anniversary cake, the bakery has those too. Want to host a party in support of The Ohio State University, The Original Goodie Shop is licensed to sell certain OSU-branded products.
I’ve given countless reasons to support this gem of a bakery, but there’s more. I sometimes visit the bakery just to see their beautifully decorated butter cookie cutouts. The cookies are decorated with holiday and regional themes. It doesn’t matter when I visit, they usually have Upper Arlington themed bear-shaped cookies, unicorns, and tea cookies. The cookie designs reflect artistry with a dose of fun. And, for the past two years, I’ve purchased Kwanzaa-themed cookies from The Original Goodie Shop. They were not only delicious but pleasing to the eyes. This signals a passion for serving quality products that look and taste good.
I should also note that in addition to a bakery’s products, I’m also drawn to bakeries that have remarkable stories, another reason The Original Goodie Shop is unique. They are adored by their customers who return time and time again to patronize the shop. In 2009, the bakery hit a rough patch and closed. Their customers showed up at an auction to buy back the bakery’s products only to return them to the previous owner, Debbie Smith. It was the type of gesture you read about in books or watch on the big screen, never really expecting it to happen to you or someone you know. Not only did patrons support the bakery, they ensured that it could continue to operate with the dignity and full assurance that Upper Arlington had its back.
I hope its clear that this bakery is special. If you’re from the Columbus, Ohio area, or simply traveling through, consider visiting. It’s a bakery to rival all others.
