The Plum Peacock, a custom baked goods store in downtown Searcy, has been nominated for the Martha Steward American Made competition, and has decided to get creative to attract votes from Harding students. The store that receives the most votes online will receive $10,000. Plum Peacock owner Elizabeth Keese recently sent out an email to all of the social clubs on campus asking them to support her store by voting online daily.

The email from Keese stated that after a student votes, he or she can send a screenshot of his or her voting submissions with the name of a social club to Keese to keep track of how many submissions each club sends. From now until the end of October, students can vote for the Plum Peacock up to six times a day. The social club that votes the most will win $250 worth of baked goods from the Plum Peacock.

Sophomore Haley Anzalone has been working at the Plum Peacock since the beginning of summer and hopes to see votes continue to pour in.

“We are in the top 10 out of a thousand bakeries, right now,” Anzalone said. “Since (Keese) has started inviting students that has really helped.”

According to Anzalone, she is the Plum Peacock’s only employee other than Keese. Both work off of each other to produce new recipes and ideas daily.

“I’m a creative-minded person so there is no, ‘this is what we are going to do, don’t change any recipes’ kind of thing going on,” Anzalone said. “She is very open minded to new ideas … It’s like something new every day.”

The Plum Peacock is located at 213 W Arch Ave. For more information about the bakery and Keese, visit http://theplumpeacock.squarespace.com/

Vote for the Plum Peacock online at http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/96145/food/the-plum-peacock