Missing your Milton morning donut fix? Milton Quality Bakery to reopen

One stroke of extraordinarily bad weather was all it took to take Milton Quality Bakery out of operation for the past three months. But owner Eric Michener is confident the storm is starting to pass, as the bakery plans its reopening debut at 4 a.m. Monday.

Even with the positive news, Michener recalled how the road to reconstruction was anything but short and sweet.

"Honestly, I wasn't even thinking about reopening. I was thinking this could ruin us," Michener said.

Although the collapse of the ceiling and light fixtures was a scary sight with the water pouring in, Michener said the incident helped him to realize just how loved the bakery is by the community. So much so, he said, he could not even pump gas in his car or stroll the aisles of a grocery store wearing his Milton Quality Bakery T-shirt without someone stopping him for an update.

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"I didn't know what we meant to the community," Michener said. "It's humbling and it makes me proud. ... I wanted to thank the community for their outpouring of support."

When all the old regulars walk through the doors Monday, Michener said the changes shouldn't be as visible to the customers as they are to staff. The only difference they may spot is the color of the paint of the front room being a shade of blue instead of cream.

"It will still have the same vibe and feel as it did when you walked in in 1965," he said.

Thankfully, a lot of the bakery equipment used to make the bakery's delectable treats were saved, largely due to the quick-thinking of employees the night of the storm.

"Right off the bat, they started grabbing bags and covering machines. They were kind of putting themselves in danger saving the equipment," Michener said.

In the months his employees were off work, he was able to cover their salaries for much of the time closed through the bakery's insurance. However, since the construction process was so extensive, several were forced to file for unemployment in the last few weeks. While most employees waited it out and are eager to get back to work, some chose to find another place to go.

One concern Michener does have — tied in with the "outpouring of support" he mentioned from his loyal customers — is if shorter staff will be able to keep up with demand. For opening day, he plans to still have a full menu, meaning staff will prep as much as they can starting Saturday for the big day.

Although Mondays are historically the slowest day of the week for the week, he anticipates this week that will be far from the case.

Starting Aug. 1, Michener said Milton Quality Bakery plans to be open every day from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 6727 Caroline St. Any updates or changes can be found on the Milton Quality Bakery Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Milton Quality Bakery to reopen after storm damage closure