A beloved North Texas bakery is ready to sweeten Fort Worth once again: J. Rae's Bakery is returning to the city where it got its start, opening a new location in the West 7th district.
The bakery will open at 3330 W. 7th St. on July 16, according to a release. It'll be just a few miles from the bakery's original location on Foch Street.
The opening marks a homecoming for J. Rae's, which was founded in Fort Worth in 2008 by Jana Howell and became known for its thick, indulgent, and beautifully hand-decorated sugar cookies and homemade cupcakes and desserts. They were the go-to treats for bridal and baby showers, office birthday parties, after-school rewards, and Woman's Club gatherings.
J. Rae's showing Fort Worth the love once again.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's
There were more than a few disappointed customers when the original Fort Worth shop closed more than a decade ago. Mandy and Chris Hamilton purchased the bakery in 2013 and rebranded it as Glitz Bakery, which has since moved to Southwest Fort Worth. A Vagabond Vintage clothing store opened in May in the original J. Rae's/Glitz location, at 935 Foch St.
Howell's niece Audrey Dixon kept the J. Rae's family business going by opening a Dallas location in 2021. Fort Worth fans were so loyal that many made the drive east to satisfy their sugar cravings, the owners say.
Now Dixon is bringing the treats back to their hometown; the Dallas shop will remain open.
“It's so exciting,” Dixon says in the release. “My aunt Jana started J. Rae’s in Fort Worth, and to now be at a place where we are able to open a second location back where it all started is so special. Fort Worth has continued to show so much love for J. Rae’s over the years. We’ve had customers drive all the way to Dallas just to support us, so being able to serve this community again means everything.”
The new bakery spans 1,700 square feet and features J. Rae's signature black-and-white stripes with hot pink accents in a bright, modern space.
J. Rae's new shop will look much like the original.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's
The menu is centered around the bakery's signature decorated sugar cookies, but the cases will also be stocked with cupcakes, cheesecakes, cake balls, cookie cakes, and classic cookies in flavors such as chocolate chip, oatmeal chocolate chip, and peanut butter. Cake ball flavors include red velvet, funfetti, and lemon, with seasonal treats and custom desserts rotating throughout the year.
“What makes J. Rae’s special is that we care just as much about how our cookies taste as we do how they look,” Dixon says. “Decorating is important, but flavor always comes first. We want our products to be as delicious as they are beautiful. At the end of the day, we're just people who love to bake and create homemade desserts that bring others joy, and it's been incredible to watch that passion grow into something much bigger than we ever imagined.”
Audrey Dixon and Jana Howell of J. Rae's Bakery.Photo courtesy of J. Rae's
The Fort Worth shop will offer grab-and-go baked goods daily, along with custom orders for birthdays, holidays, weddings, corporate events, and other celebrations.
J. Rae's Bakery will be open Monday-Friday from 10 am-6 pm and Saturday from 10 am-4 pm.
The golf course includes nods to Fort Worth.Photo courtesy of The Dirdie Birdie
Food and cocktails at The Dirdie Birdie.Photo courtesy of The Dirdie Birdie