Celebrating a Century with Biloxi's Most Iconic Bakery

PHOTO: Electrik Maid on Pass Road at Veterans Avenue since 1981. For a century, the Electrik Maid Bake Shop has been serving bread, cookies, pastries, cakes and more. As Biloxi celebrates the bakery's 100th year, we take a look at some baking history.

This article was originally written by Jane Shambra with the title "Biloxi's bakery's 100th birthday" for BNews Monthly, the monthly newsletter of the City of Biloxi. All images courtesy of the Local History and Genealogy Department / Biloxi Public Library / Harrison County Library System.

Early Days of Biloxi Baking

In the early days of Biloxi, around the 1700s, there were no ovens in which to bake and little wheat that survived the voyages from France. The earliest breads were made with “corn wheat.” Corn was a staple commodity that the Native Americans thrived upon and which saved the earliest settlers and voyageurs from starvation. Corn Pone (also known as corn cake or hearth cake) was originally made with a few ingredients: finely ground corn kernels, water, salt, and animal fat. These were likely Biloxi’s first cakes!

Bakery Delivery in the Early 1900s

As time evolved, so did the bakery industry. By the early 1900s, retail bakers began to organize in America. Product offerings expanded, and people’s means of receiving baked goods advanced. In Biloxi, bread was delivered to homes via horse and buggy. Those were the days before our current online and delivery options were available.

PHOTO: Early days of daily delivery by horse and buggy.

Introduction of Electricity

In the 1890s, Mr. Ed Burklin (from Missouri) came to Biloxi and, with permission from City officials, constructed a flour mill and electric plant. This electric plant was located at the corner of Esters Boulevard and Magnolia Street in downtown Biloxi, near the old train depot.

The early 1900s were the days when Biloxi saw its first electric street lights, and homes and businesses were offered a safer means of lighting. Transportation (via electric trolley) and cooking also progressed because of electricity. In fact, our grandparents referred to their monthly electric service bill as their “light bill.” Today, however, households and businesses simply refer to it as the power bill.

The Birth of Biloxi’s Electrik Maid Bake Shop

With the introduction of electric-powered ovens came an excellent opportunity for perfect baking. On April 12, 1924, Electrik Maid Bake Shop, the ideal name for the new establishment, opened its doors for business. It was located in downtown Biloxi on West Howard Avenue in a location we recognize today as the Barq’s Building. Its early offerings included cakes, cookies, pies, rolls, and breads. Its original slogan was “Taste the Difference.” Electrik Maid’s founders were Donald Entringer and A.W. Bissett, both natives of Wisconsin and experienced bakers. Mr. Entringer later became the father of McKenzie’s Bakery in New Orleans. He was also a prominent contributor to the community and donated a stained-glass window to the nearby Nativity Church. This colorful window, bearing several Entringer family names, can still be seen in the church today.

PHOTO: Electrik Maid opening ad from 1924.

Recognizing the need for additional locations, Electrik Maid expanded, offering baked goods in some local grocery stores and adding more locations, including one on Porter Avenue. The Porter Avenue shop opened in 1955. Its location in the downtown area offered a perfect afternoon treat for nearby students.

Back in the day, the bake shop even offered fried chicken and home delivery, food services that were not commonplace at that time. Paul Balius, the head baker for Mr. Entringer, bought the shop in the early 1950s and primarily worked out of the shop on Porter Avenue. Today, it is a family tradition with the grandson, Harrel Balius, and others working in the Bakery.

West Biloxi: Veterans Ave. / Pat Harrison Blvd.

In 1981, the Electrik Maid set up shop on the southwest corner of Veterans Avenue and Pass Road. These streets were listed as Pat Harrison Boulevard and Pass Christian Road long ago. Located at 1833 Pass Road, the shop still offers an array of fresh baked goods and is open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PHOTO: The flaky layers of Electrik Maid Baklava baked to perfection.

Through Thick and Thin

This century-old Bakery represents the steadfast resilience of Biloxi. It has survived a fire (while housed in the Yerger/ Barq’s Building), the Great Depression, and multiple hurricanes. It should be noted that the current location is about 30 feet above level, which helped protect it from flooding during Hurricane Katrina.

A Special Anniversary Congratulations to the Balius Family for a Job Well Done!

Its current slogan: "You Taste the Difference" is representative of a tribute to the celebration of the family’s longstanding service to Biloxi’s taste buds. The name Electrik Maid is certainly indicative of its successful business, whereby patrons could truly choose a product prepared in “electric” ovens enhancing the overall baking process.

PHOTO: Harrel and Nora Balius of the Electrik Maid Bake Shop.

Specialty Items

Besides its traditional baked goods, which include wedding and birthday cakes, cookies, pies, donuts, rolls, cakes, breads, and pies, it has also expanded its offerings to include additional treats:

• Petit Fours: small bite-size savory pieces of cake, finely decorated with specialty icing and often served as a delicacy at celebratory events. (Petit four is a French term meaning “small oven.”)
• King Cakes: This Electrik Maid’s Mardi Gras treat is usually decorated with swirls of their special cake icing representing the purple, green, and gold (yellow) colors of the season.
• Eclairs: a culinary delight made from a long French delicacy filled with pastry cream or custard and dipped in a special icing (fondant icing).
• Cream Puffs: a classic bite-size French pastry filled with sweet cream and sometimes dusted with powdered sugar.
• Napoleons: a small layered French iced pastry with a creamy filling.
• Fruit Cake: a Christmas delight filled with dried fruit, nuts, dates, and raisins.

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