Northwest Arkansas’ oldest bakery changes ownership

It’s been a sweet year for Luke and Alisha Hall.

The Fayetteville couple has purchased two small retail shops this year —  Bradley’s Donuts at 56 Yukon Way in Farmington and Chuck’s Cake Shoppe at 407 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville.

The purchase prices were not disclosed. Combined, the two businesses have 17 employees.

Chuck’s Cake Shoppe was established in 1971 by Chuck and Linda Baum and is thought to be the oldest bakery in Northwest Arkansas. It’s been situated at its College Avenue address since 1982, serving all the usual items including varieties of cookies, cupcakes, specialty cakes and petit fours.

The business changed hands a number of times through the years but was most recently owned by Jerry and Angie Lloyd, who bought the store in 2006.

Alisha Hall said she and her husband are real estate investors in the region, and Luke Hall previously owned a pharmacy in Lincoln for 13 years. They view the two retail acquisitions simply as a good opportunity to own successful small businesses.

Chuck’s Cake Shoppe celebrated a grand reopening in late November following a significant renovation to the front end of the store. The Halls have also invested in an upgraded website for the business.

“That’s helped pick up the business quite a bit,” Alisha Hall said. “We’re excited to introduce some new products to what we already have and grow the business.”