Freemans Bakery & Gifts

If you have any dessert or pastry needs in Florence, there is only one option… Freeman’s. Their desserts are to die for and I have never had anything from there that was not delicious. My personal favorites are the bon-​bons and German chocolate cups! Chocolate heaven! I also happen to be friends with two of the staff members and they’re fantastic and true artists of their craft. If you ever need a cake for your party or event, Freeman’s is the place to go!

Chocolate praline cake! There is not anything sweet or not that compares to this cake!

Came here years ago and the quality of the baked goods was much better than I recently experienced. Recall this was a true bakery when I was younger and now it looks more like a gift shop and less like a bakery. Pretty clear there was a change in ownership. Not sure how the name stayed the same as I recall it was family owned. Whatever family bought it, sure isn’t doing the namesake any favors with what they did to the place. Sad.

We owned a beach house for 15 years and drove through Florence hundreds of times. Never knew about Freeman’s until the last 5 trips. Our loss — both emotionally and to our waistlines! This is a wonderful «from scratch» bakery — and there are very few left. Everything is excellent, you absolutely cannot go wrong with anything. (Since in 5 visits I probably bought 20 different items, I am certain — LOL) A few tips — you can buy ½ cake, nice for smaller families or to have a selection for a larger one. Cookies are pricey but really, really good, (Hubs is first cousin to the Cookie Monster) and the decorated ones are beautiful. Danish and donuts are yummy. Cute gift section and friendly service. If you are traveling along 95, this is maybe 20 minutes off the interstate, and is WORTH IT. But the absolute BEST OF ALL reason to go here is the German Coconut Cake. There simply aren’t enough adjectives to describe this cake. Just. Buy. It.

I called here after many attempts looking for a local bakery that could make macaroons or some other Jewish pastry. The person who answered the phone was extremely courteous and said she would check for me. She returned after a very brief wait and said that they could indeed make macaroons as a special order item.
I arrived on a Friday morning to pick them up and I was greeted immediately by an incredibly friendly staff. They had my order ready and the presentation was extremely professional. I took the macaroons to work to share with my coworkers.
These were absolutely divine. Everyone raved about them and for many, it was their first experience with this pastry. As usual, I had over-​purchased on the quantity and I gave the leftovers to a friend from New York to take home. Her family (who are used to only the best from bakeries) raved about them as well. This was definitely a win. I will use this bakery for all future orders.

I have passed this place while visiting Florence, SC many times. Today I decided to stop in. Great selection and friendly staff!!! Nice to go to a local bakery that is not a chain…

I’ve had much better cakes from grocery stores, other bakeries. Unfortunately, there are few actual «bakeries» in town. Recently had Freeman’s birthday cake at a party. It was very dry, compared to a homemade cake made by a fried, which had piles of icing & literally melted in my mouth. The crumbs on Freeman’s cakes are dry too. Cheese danishes need more sugar & actual cheese filling.
Having traveled, Freeman’s assortment is just OK– portion sizes of desserts are small & not cheap. Quality isn’t what you’d find if you travel, say to the beach, or Charleston for example. If you’re visiting or have moved here lately, you may be disappointed.
Recently at Charlotte Airport, I found treats that were AMAZING. For example, a giant croissant filled with almond paste, crumb cakes with mounds of melt-​in-​your-​mouth crumbs & huge bagels that were tasty & irresistible. The price was quite fair considering the quality & size you got– & we’re talking «airport food.»
I gave up on Florence bakeries & order hard rolls/​bagels from a company in NY which come frozen/​vacuum sealed. They are so delicious & worth the shipping cost. The baker should check out any NY bakery site for an idea of what portions should be– & make their products moister. They’d have a line out the door!

Nice bakery with a wide variety. Really good donuts. The prices are very reasonable. There is a gift shop attached to it. There are a few tables in the bakery, which is a nice touch. I would come back here if I’m in the area.

If you’re looking for some sweet-​type noms in the FLO, Freeman’s should be your first (and will probably end up being your only) stop. Their display cases are always full of a large variety of cakes, cupcakes, pies, cookies, muffins, etc. that should make it easy for anyone to find something to like. They usually have half cakes/​pies ($ 10−14ish) available as well as wholes ($ 20−24ish), which is nice. Personal faves include their carrot and red velvet cakes.
Only cons are that they’re closed Sun/​Mon, so plan accordingly (plan in advance for busy holidays too, especially if you’re putting in a big order). Otherwise, if you’ve got a sweet tooth and are in the neighborhood Freeman’s should be able to take care of you.

There are a thousand wonderful things to be had here. It’s very dangerous for your waistline…