EDMONDS, Wash. — When a industry has been round for 100 years, it has a tendency to accumulate a devoted fan base.
“I have been coming right here for fifty years,” stated Edmonds resident, Judy Balzer, as she orders her favourite deal with. “A just right pal of mine and I’d at all times come right here and feature a maple bar. She moved away, so now I are available and keep in mind her.”
This week the Edmonds Bakery celebrates a century of cooking up reminiscences and chocolates.
“I believe like this position, it is kinda the remaining of its sort,” stated employee Michael Raley. “It is like a Norman Rockwell portray come to existence.”
The bakery is a slice of true Americana. Situated at 418 Major Side road, it dates again to 1923.
The bakery has survived a despair, recession, pandemic, a number of wars and two fires.
“It is beautiful superb we are nonetheless right here,” stated proprietor Ken Bellingham.
Bellingham has owned the bakery for the previous 30 years. He deliberate to retire remaining yr, however the bakery and the generations of shoppers stored calling him again.
“It is roughly an establishment and I am only a caretaker for it,” Bellingham stated. “When you’ll make one thing that folks revel in, it is very rewarding.”
The bakery’s signature deal with is named the “Hen Bone,” however thankfully there aren’t any chickens and no bones. It is necessarily a maple bar lined in streusel and coconut.
“I am not a large coconut fan, however it is my favourite donut I have ever had in my existence,” Raley stated.
Raley got here out of retirement 3 years in the past simply to rise up neatly earlier than daybreak and paintings on the bakery.
“I have at all times liked it right here,” he stated. “I advised Ken I sought after to paintings right here. He requested if I may bake. I advised him no, however I may rise up at 4 within the morning to be right here. He advised me, ‘I will educate you to bake. I will’t educate other folks to be up at 4 within the morning.’ That was once it.”
For Raley, the youngsters, noses pressed towards the confection case’s glass, are the most productive section.
“The children’ eyes get as large because the solar and I am getting to be Willy Wonka for quarter-hour,” he smiled.
Credit score: KING
A kid tests out the donut choices at Edmonds Bakery, which opened in 1923.
The bakery is as authentic because it will get with just about 400 antique cookie jars lining the partitions and gear that is even older than that.
“The apparatus is older than I’m,” chuckled Bellingham, elderly 71, handiest part kidding.
And someway all of it comes together– like flour, butter and salt it is a attempted and true recipe for good fortune.
Bellingham says he has no plans to retire.
“I’m hoping to stay this up. I would possibly die again there on a sack of flour,” he laughed.
When the time to hold up his apron does come, on the other hand, Bellingham says he’ll make certain this establishment stays a bakery for generations extra to revel in.
“I personal the development,” he stated. “I would like this to proceed on. I feel I am very blessed to have this chance.”
If you need to participate within the century party, forestall via the bakery on Saturday free of charge cake and 50-cent maple bars.
Watch extra from KING 5’s Eric Wilkinson:
