Arkadelphia Life - 45

Lorraine McSwain opened Ludwig's
Bakery in March of 2020.

LUDWIG'S BAKERY
Traditional German recipes with southern hospitality

Text: Richard Ledbetter | Photography: Jeff Fuller-Freeman

rkadelphia now has what every small town
desires - a traditional German-style bakery.
Even during a year when so many mom
and pop shops have gone out of business,
Ludwig's traditional approach to fresh, top-quality baked
goods has produced notable success.
Shop owner Lorraine McSwain shared her philosophy
and some of the history behind her accomplishment. " We
opened March 7, 2020, a week before the statewide shut
down. We had a huge grand-opening with standing room
only. We sold out of sourdough bread in seven minutes. "
Asked how the pandemic has affected her business, McSwain says, " We're less than a mile from the colleges so
we missed all the football traffic and on-campus students.
But we're not a sit-down-to-eat place so we get a lot of
morning folks going to work and school who come in ear-

ly. We open Wednesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until
1 p.m.; Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We are closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. We're not a mass-production bakery. We're a family
run shop. My sister, Bea Ludwig and Bea's granddaughter,
Emma Riggan, help out. We are keeping it small enough
to maintain our high standards. Everything is baked daily
using the real ingredients like butter and heavy cream - no
preservatives or artificial colors are added. Our attention
to quality and detail has built a strong customer base. "
In answer to how she came to Arkadelphia, McSwain
says, " My husband and I owned a restaurant in Pagosa
Springs, Colorado for several years before moving back
to our home in Dallas in 1985. I managed a Cheddar's
restaurant in Texas for 30 years. My husband passed away
in 2011 before I retired in 2016. It was after that I came
ARKADELPHIA LIFE 2021

Arkadelphia Life

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