OUR STORY

It was July 4, 2017 and my brother had invited me to his 4th of July party.  I knew I wanted to take something fun for all the kids, but it was SO hot that I didn't want to take anything messy.  I decided to look at Pinterest for “4th of July Party Treats”.  I started to see all these decorated cookies and thought to myself “I can do that.” I watched a few YouTube videos and headed to Walmart for the supplies I needed.  I instantly was obsessed! Needless to say, I never made it to the party and a new hobby was created. 

By Thanksgiving 2017 I was ready to see if I really had something that could be more than a hobby. I had been sharing my cookie creations on my social media and getting lots of feedback as to how good they looked and if they were for sale.  I created a post asking if anyone wanted to try them and explained all I asked for in return was their feedback.  My kids and I delivered SEVERAL plates of cookies all over town! We still talk about that night to this day! 

In December 2017, this hobby turned into a side hustle selling cookies by taking custom orders for the holidays and a couple different events and come January 2018 I was enrolled in the “Taste of Quincy” event held at The Holiday Inn as my new business name “Iced Perfection”. 

My side hustle started to grow and I was gaining a lot more attention and attraction. The previous owner of Bailey’s, Renee Higgins, reached out to me to see if I would be interested in buying the business from her.  She told me from day one that she saw something special in me and wanted the right person to take over all the hard work and passion she put into making Bailey’s what it was at that time.   I turned her down several times.  I worked a corporate job, had a stable income, insurance and all the perks.  This was a dream but with zero experience and only a high school diploma it would be quite the leap of faith.  

Renee and I stayed in constant contact.  She let me use the kitchen at Bailey’s to bake and decorate my cookies after hours so I could stay compliant with the health department and she also supported my side hustle by selling Iced Perfection Cookies at the shop.  

Renee continued to share her belief in me and that helped me to believe in myself.  She was with me every step of the way as we transitioned ownership in January 2019.  I am very well aware that most people don’t get to work with the prior owner, ask questions, or follow up a year or so later, but Renee provided all of that to me.  Her and her husband, Curtis, would drop whatever they were doing to help with anything that was needed.  It was almost like she could see the future and knew that this was God’s plan for me and the cookies were just my gateway into owning my own business.  Renee still swings by the shop from time to time and will always hold a special place in my heart.  (Thank you Renee for believing in me!) 

As Covid hit and turned our world inside out, God continued to bless us.  The Starbucks across the street closed for a solid month sending traffic across the street our way and a new customer base was born.  We experienced so much support during that time of growth and I began to see exactly why God put me on this earth.  I knew I was born to serve. Our little nook in this city is a place where ALL are welcome.  EVERYONE has a seat at our table. 

With growth came a lot more inventory to keep in house and we were forced to keep the lobby closed even after the pandemic had passed. We worked hard to find new homes for our inventory and in June 2023 we reopened our lobby to showcase a boutique of items with our new logo and for customers to be able to come in for grab and go service. We are still working hard at being able to open the lobby for indoor dining, so stay tuned!  

Be sure to visit our Bailey’s Boutique!!!!

It's a work in progress and as it continues to grow you will be able to see my passion in helping other women owned businesses by featuring their products! I do my best to shop local, support local and help our women owned businesses gain a little more exposure! 

Speaking of exposure, be on the lookout in early 2024 for a new podcast! There’s Nothing Small About It will be a podcast with me, Amy, as your host talking to ALL the locally owned small businesses about ALL the things! I can’t wait for you to hear some of these stories! My hope is to spread the goodness that these people are bringing to the table in our community by sharing their stories and helping you connect!