Charkeitha Washington
National Black Business Month Spotlight
Charkeitha Washington
The Cookie Lady
Give us a brief description of your business and your company’s mission.
To be fully honest, my business is a reflection of who I am as a loving, God fearing woman. Baking has always been my pastime, and to share it with the world is my goal. The mission of my company is simply to put some love and sweetness back into the community and encourage our youth to be young entrepreneurs. Through my influence, I want to redirect the youth and make entrepreneurs who are just as passionate as I am, to keep spreading the love.
How did you get into this business?
As a child, oftentimes I would watch cooking shows like Julia Child, Justin Wilson, Emeril Lagasse, and a few other pioneers, learning a few techniques from them. Most of my baking skills, though, came from my mother and my paternal grandmother.
I started baking tea cakes for my church. My late grandmother was well known for this treat and I decided that if I could do those, then I needed to add other goodies. After years of brainstorming, trial and error, I am now happy to say that I have baked over 100 different cookies, tea cakes, brownies, and other items. My grandmother sparked the fire that ignited my passion to bake, and it’s remained in me all my life; her legacy lives through me.
What makes you stand apart from your competitors?
What makes me stand apart is the vast range of flavors I provide, baked with love. I use only the finest ingredients to prepare my treats, and I take time to craft each and every cookie. I bake them and ship or deliver on the same day, so there are currently no preservatives added. To be frank, you can’t get these anywhere else. To get the real deal, you’ve got to come see The Texarkana Cookie Lady. 
National Black Business Month, celebrated in August, brings awareness to the important contributions of black-owned businesses. According to blackdemographics.com, “Black-owned businesses in the United States increased 34.5% between 2007 and 2012, totaling 2.6 million,” and “employed 975,052 people,” with “payrolls that totaled $27.7 billion.” Texarkana is no exception to that growth trend. “The Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce has seen some outstanding businesses become members of our organization, looking to network and grow.” said Executive Director, Mike Malone.
Texarkana Monthly is highlighting some of the incredible black-owned businesses in the community to encourage your support of these locally owned establishments. Shopping local is important every month of the year, as it nurtures job creation and keeps the local economy healthy. The black-owned businesses of Texarkana provide quality goods and services from trusted friends and neighbors. Support them, not just in August during National Black Business Month, but all year long!
