From the outside, you wouldn't expect Bakery Express to be a warehouse of delicious assorted baked goods and a full service café.

This 140,000 square-foot facility has a storefront where customers can buy bagels and bread, donuts, frozen pies, and fresh cookies. Although the Hollins Ferry Road location is off the beaten path in an industrial park setting, store serves a growing number of workers in the southwest Baltimore County enterprise zone.

Bakery Express sells directly to the public, and also bakes products under the Ms. Desserts label sold in supermarkets and coffee shops.

Behind the storefront, Ms. Desserts gourmet cakes from german chocolate to raspberry marble cheesecake are baked, packaged and frozen to be shipped to restaurants nationwide. Customers can buy these cakes for up to 50% off right in the store. They can also special order custom cakes for weddings, parties, or any other special event, in a separate consultation area.

During my visit, the store had 6 different samples out including Oreo cookie dream pie and, my personal favorite, pecan pie. The display cases held delicious treats like one of the many colossal assorted brownies for only $1.50.

The store was clean and, although the lines were long, they moved quickly thanks to the helpful staff. They even had a 50% off table that was quickly cleared by the time I left.

You can get a dozen donuts for $3.25 or a half dozen for $1.75 as part of their end-of-the-day special. The donuts are huge and deliciously baked.

Some other tasty specials include a toasted bagel with cream cheese for $1.00 and 10% off Wednesdays for senior citizens. Chairs and tables are set up in the café area, currently decorated with pumpkins and harvest themed centerpieces.

Customers can enjoy fresh coffee, fresh soups, made to order sandwiches, and chop salads as part of a lunch deal in the store. Not sure what to get? Six flat-screen TVs line the walls above the displays with pricings and deals for the day.

I'll definitely be back at Bakery Express to pick up some treats for the holidays and start sampling some of their lunches.