Sony Hocklander, News-Leader
Find owner Amy Bloodworth's special order cakes and other treats — and now, a limited number of daily treats like cupcakes and cookies — at 1108 E. Walnut St.
Bloodworth reopened her business Thursday. The new location features a baking kitchen and a separate cake decorating room where customers now can see decorators at work.
And it allows Bloodworth to offer daily treats, including homemade cinnamon rolls, cupcakes and cookies. Daily treats will be listed online.
She and her husband, glass artist Gabe Bloodworth, purchased the historic Walnut Street house, known as the Carrington House, taking advantage of the work/live zoning ordinance.
They were told by the city that living upstairs over the retail business downstairs makes their arrangement the first live/work unit in Springfield under a new code.
"This is the first live/work use that we have ever permitted in Springfield utilizing the 2012 code," said Chris Straw, director of building development services. That's when the international building code was rewritten to make criteria easier to meet for people who want live above their business, a growing trend as more old buildings and city centers are being redeveloped, he explained.
Bloodworth likes that the house is located on a section of street where Artsfest is held each spring and Cider Days each fall. Her husband Gabe's glass art booth will be in front of their home and business for Cider Days, she said.
She also likes closer parking for her customers, on the street in front or in a small lot behind the house that includes handicap parking.
Bloodworth, 28, said the decision to move was a year in the making.
"We wanted to have a larger space to work with because the kitchen in the McDaniel location was very small," she said. "With two bakers and one decorator, we were bumping into each other."
Thursday, both longtime customers and drop-ins showed up at the shop. Two friends who came by to show support were Springfield Contemporary Theatre owner Lou Schaeffer, who bought a cupcake, and the theater's artistic director, Rick Dines, who bought what he called "delightful" cookies.
"We're friends of Amy's, so we stopped by to say hello and pick up some goodies for the day," Dines said.
Amycakes Bakery opened in 2009 on McDaniel Street, near Campbell Avenue, where it was for six years until moving.
Amycakes Bakery
What they sell: Special order cakes and baked goods.
Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.
Call: 417-831-6095
Online: \http://www.sweetsbyamycakes.com/, Facebook: "Amycakes Bakery"
Carrington House
The house where Amy bakes on Walnut Street was built in 1906-1907 by William T. Carrington. From 1905-1918, Carrington was president of what was then called Springfield State Normal College. In 1919 it was renamed Southwest Missouri State Teachers College.
Today it's Missouri State University. Carrington Hall, constructed in 1908 as the first building campus building, is named for him.