Sweetie Pie: East Side bakery embraces culinary diversity and community support

The Sweetie Pie by Savie bakery stands out with hand painted sweets on its side, beautiful flowers decorating the front porch and an enticing smell coming from within. Offering an alternative spin on baked goods, Sweetie Pie by Savie is an Asian-Infused bakery transforming traditional baking through flavors inspired by Thai cuisine. 

Officially opened in July 2015 by Savittree Rochanasmita Arnold (Savie), Sweetie Pie has expanded the taste palette of Athens by introducing it to unique Thai flavors. Mixing flavors like coconut curry, spicy turmeric and chicken curry in everyday drinks and treats has piqued the interest of many customers. 

“We want to be sustainable, have good quality products and a connection with the community, which I think we have reached. I want to continue doing that,” Arnold said.

Baking for 20 years and running Sweetie Pie for almost 10, Arnold’s journey into the realm of sweet treats was an unexpected one. Growing up in Thailand, she never got the chance to bake. Traditional Thai cuisine rarely requires an oven as it is a luxury in Thailand. She didn’t know anyone who had an oven in their home. 

When she moved to the United States for college, completing her Ph.D in science education at the University of Georgia, that was the first time she got the chance to use an oven. Starting with box mix brownies from the store and moving on to baking with recipes with the help of her husband’s friend Rick Rose, she began to discover her passion for baking.

Arnold began her baking career on a commercial level at Dondero’s Kitchen in Athens. During her two years working there she learned how to manage the kitchen and handle a business on a larger scale. Putting the things she observed into action, she decided to take a leap of faith and start her own business selling cakes and decorative cookies from her home.

“I learned how to communicate with customers, how to take and organize orders,” Arnold said, “It’s tough because, first of all, starting a business here and back in my hometown, it’s totally different. In Thailand, when we want to start a business, we just start a business. You know, you want to sell noodles, you just open your door, you have noodles, you sell to people in front of your house.”

Obtaining a cottage food license and using the skills she picked up from Dondero’s kitchen, she built up her own clientele through her at-home business, baking and selling from her kitchen. With the support base that she gained from her starter, she invested in a storefront.

“You have to go to the planning department, business department, do all the paperwork, taxes, it’s something totally new,” Arnold said. “I pretty much just learned by doing and experimenting.” 

When selecting where she wanted her store to be located, Arnold had a few qualities in mind. She wanted something imperfect, something she could make her own with a welcoming and homey atmosphere. The Sweetie Pie building has had many faces, like a barbecue spot and a small grocery store. When she saw this building she knew it was what she wanted.

“I’ve always liked things that weren’t cookie cutter. I like this building for a lot of reasons. The outside looks homemade, just like when you’re looking for a house. ‘When I walked in, I was like, ‘this is what I need,’” Arnold said.

Arnold created her bakery’s atmosphere by adding hand painted touches.

“I enjoy painting, I want to show that (the bakery) is mine. I started painting the door first then adding the cakes on the side. Then I was like ‘okay, people should know that it’s the bakery now,’” Arnold said.

Hand painted touches done by Arnold decorate the bakery’s interior and exterior, even trailing into the kitchen. Drawings of children decorate the kitchen’s refrigerator, little thank you notes and drawings expressing gratitude to Arnold and her staff. These hand-drawn aspects make the atmosphere at Sweetie Pie enjoyable to the employees.

“This is definitely my favorite place I’ve ever worked at. You just can’t beat its environment,” Erin Wu, who runs customer service and decorates cakes, said, “She (Arnold) can do five things at once and make it all work, within no time. I appreciate that she’s very concerned with what we need.” 

Arnold gives her staff free reign when it comes to creating and designing the treats that they serve. 

“I don’t mind that they don’t follow me step by step. As long as we meet the same goal,” Arnold said. “Try your best to come up with something that represents the food and our bakery.” 

Starting a bakery can be challenging, especially when introducing concepts that an unaccustomed audience may be hesitant toward. This is something that Arnold had to consider when adding new flavors to common pastries in her bakery, such as her red bean, green tea croissants, which fuse popular Asian flavors.

She had to gradually introduce customers to new flavors. Instead of baking her red bean croissants in bulk like her other pastries, she decided to bake just two each day.

“It is hard to get people to accept the Asian flavor, like Taro. They’re like, ‘what is Taro?’,” Arnold said. “Now my Asian flavor is (selling) better than the normal almond croissant and we don’t even have chocolate croissants anymore.”

Instead of using traditional methods of advertising for Sweetie Pie, Arnold relies on word of mouth and community service to get her bakery out there. 

“Helping support the community lasts longer than advertisements,” Arnold said.

Being able to connect with community members and promote them is something that Arnold takes pride in. Local businesses’ flyers and cards are displayed at the front table. 

Social media also plays a role in supporting other local businesses, and in turn receiving support.

“When we post something, they help share our post, when they post something we help share their post. That’s how we’re growing together,” Arnold said.

Over time, Sweetie Pie bakery has been able to not only expand the quality and selection of pastries they sell, but also build a strong bond with the community. Sweetie Pie has become a place where kids stop to get a sweet treat or to pick up a scone after a morning run. Sweetie Pie is more than Arnold’s business; it is also a place of cultural diversity and community spirit. 

“I never give up, I’m the kind of person that I have my goal set and I get to work until it’s fixed,” Arnold said.