A fresh start
Jul. 2—After nearly two months, Sweet Wife Baking will again satisfy local cravings for sweet rolls, cookies, coffee, savory sandwiches and more.
The bake shop opens July 8 in its new location, 2028 Main St.
Owners Jenny Mowe and Loran Joseph said the bakery will be open Thursday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Going forward, they plan to be open for the First Friday art walk and display work by a featured artist.
The new location is in the historic Lynndale Building, built in 1890.
The building most recently housed Stockman's Bar.
The Joseph family bought the building in August 2019 with plans to renovate it for the bake shop's new home.
"We'd talked about expanding," Jenny said.
Loran and his father, Randy Joseph, tackled the renovation. They stripped the walls to the original brick, shored up the structural supports, and removed the false ceiling.
"We completely gutted it," Jenny said.
The back bar was intact, but only pieces of the actual bar remained in the building.
"We had four legs and two panels," Loran said.
Randy designed and built the bar, and had a hand in most of the other improvements.
"He did all of the design," Loran said.
But Randy won't be there for the reopening.
He passed away suddenly on May 27, 2020. He was 69.
"This was his swan song," Loran said of the bar, inlaid with strips of wood in a chevron pattern requested by Jenny.
After Randy's death, Loran built the front counter to match the bar design.
Although adding cocktails and dinner are a future endeavor, for now patrons can sit at the bar to eat their Sweet Wife treats.
The new space has increased seating both inside and outside. Customers can enter either from Main Street or through the back door on Resort Street.
"I want someplace for the community to come. I've always wanted that," Jenny said.
The shop's work space is outfitted with a wall full of bakery tools, a new oven, a walk-in freezer and a 60-quart mixer.
Jenny started Sweet Wife in January of 2011, and started offering retail sales in August 2015 in its Resort Street location.
To stay updated on Sweet Wife Baking, follow the shop on Facebook and Instagram or check the website at www.sweetwifebaking.com.
