Ashley's Pastry Shop — Restaurant in Oakwood

DEFINITELY A BUSINESS TO AVOID! Update (June 10, 2017): Star rating updated to reflect the poor excuses given by ownership for potentially unethical business practices.

None of the excuses provided did anything to show an effort on the part of the bakery to prevent potentially discriminatory pricing practices and a desire to build trust among their customer base. Even worse the owners explanation acknowledges that the prices aren't posted so that customers spend more money then they had planned to spend. Deceptive pricing strategies are nearly as bad as discriminatory pricing.

I'd recommend the owner start with reading some SBA and HBR case studies on small business pricing strategies and brand management.

I'm skeptical of the owners claim about pricing studies. I'd be happy to read through any research that recommends bakeries not post prices for customers. We're not talking about asset management or private consulting where process have to be customized for customer needs. We're talking about cookies and donuts.

Original Post (April 5, 2017): A nice looking bakery shop and ok pastries but with a few concerns that make it a bakery to avoid.

First, as mentioned in previous reviews, there still isn't a sign stating "cash only". Not everyone reads Google reviews to know that they need to bring cash.

Second, no prices are posted anywhere in the shop. I asked if there was a menu or price listing but the very nice lady at the counter said there was not and that she could tell me the prices for anything I was interested in. Which she did. However, I have no idea if I was quoted the same price as other customers. In other words, this is concerning because without a posting of prices then the costs being quoted could change depending on the person at the counter or the customer i.e. potential discriminatory pricing. I understand this is a small privately owned bakery but given the effort put into the locations decorations, signs/blackboard with prices or a menu with prices is a small task.

Lastly, I wasn't provided a receipt with my order and had to ask for it. The receipts were printing out when she rang up my order so it wasn't a matter of saving paper. The register had a long tail of receipts from previous customers,  which indicates to me that not handing the customer a receipt is a standard practice at this bakery. Each of these practices separately may not seem like a big deal but together they're a significant concern. An all cash business with loose pricing practices seems like a business to avoid.

Prices I was quoted listed below: Cake donuts 1.25 Croissants 1.75 Glazed croissants 1.95 Challah bread full loaf 4.95 Chocolate chip cookie bag (6 cookies) 6.95 Sweet Pecan Roll...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Ashley's Pastry Shop at 21 Park Ave, Dayton, OH, and what a delightful experience it was! As it was my first time at this charming establishment, I was immediately struck by the warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff greeted me with friendly smiles and even showered me with compliments on my outfit, which was such a nice confidence boost!

The staff was not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable about the pastries they offer. They provided great recommendations, highlighting their most popular items, including the croissant, which looked absolutely mouthwatering. While I didn’t purchase the croissant during my visit, I was tempted by the extensive range of pastries available—everything from cookies and danishes to donuts, lemon bars, strudels, and cinnamon rolls and more. The establishment also had a nice verity of cool beverages.

After browsing the impressive selection, I decided to try the cherry cheese pastry. It came neatly packaged in a plastic tin with a napkin and fork, which was a thoughtful touch. Once I got home, I warmed it up for about 15 seconds, and let me tell you, it was incredible! The dough was flaky and crispy, and the filling was generous and rich, with sweet cherries that added a delightful contrast. I’m already craving another one and can't wait to explore the other flavors they offer!

One unique aspect of Ashley's Pastry Shop is their payment policy—they don’t accept credit cards, only Venmo, PayPal, and cash. This might be a bit unconventional for some, but it certainly adds to the charm of the place. It’s also impressive that they’ve been featured in various local publications, two including the Dayton Daily News and the Dayton Business Journal, which speaks volumes about their reputation in the community.

Overall, my experience at Ashley's Pastry Shop was wonderful, and I will definitely be returning to try more of their delicious treats. If you’re in the area and have a sweet tooth, I highly recommend...

It's been nearly a year now since I got married and had a very disappointing experience with Ashley's. Honestly, I have not really felt up to writing this review, but I know it may be helpful to some. My husband and I began speaking with Ashley's over a year prior to our wedding about having a king cake made for us.

Our wedding day was a few months after Mardi Gras, but we were told it wouldn't be a problem. A few months prior to the wedding, we talked about this more in depth when we visited the bakery for a tasting - we decided the colors, flavors, and beads that we wanted. We were told the king cake was around $20-$30 and we left a $50 deposit, stating we would add some other items later. We eventually decided to order donuts for most of the wedding guests, with the king cake being intended for the wedding party. The wedding day came and there was no king cake, only the donuts. We found out before the ceremony, so my husband called to find out what happened and was told that the king cake wasn't confirmed/paid for, so it was not made (although we ordered it before anything else, already confirmed all the details, and we had been talking with them about this for months so we hoped they understood how important it was to us). It seemed like they just hadn't felt like making it. We don't believe they forgot about it, since we had been discussing it so long and the staff member had always remembered us when we called. We were offered a free king cake in the future, but of course, we can't trust that it would actually be made.

I'm sure just going to the bakery for a quick treat would be fine. The donuts we had were tasty. I cannot recommend Ashley's to anyone hoping to use their services for a...