Friday, February 20, 2009

Sunshine Bakery

As you know if you have followed my blog for any time, I love old things, especially vintage photos....and I have posted tons of them in the past....the blog banner is of my grandfather and Mama in front of Grandpa's bakery in the 1930s during the Great Depression.....Grandpa and another man who was the baker started this bakery during a bad time and they did make a go of it.....Mom told me stories about the time...the soup kitchens, etc. as the bakery was in the bad part of town....and she said, no one ever bothered them but were grateful for the day old sales they had....a cup of coffee and either 3 rolls, donuts or cupcakes for a whopping .10 cents....
here is a similar photo with my Aunt Alyce...they could get the day old stuff for only .5 cents.
This is clickable, you can read the prices and look into the windows...the bread was so good as Fritz the German baker was wonderful....he was very particular with his bread and watched carefully when the girls wanted to help him...Mom said he made her nervous and once she almost dropped a tray of rolls she was taking out of the big oven. The bread was so fragrant and the front of storefront, by the doors would stay warm because of the ovens...Mom said in the winter, the men would gather there sometimes to catch the warmth and enjoy the smell.
The girls had to work constantly, making sure the bakery was sparkling clean both inside and out...they took turns closing at night and would walk to the bus stop carrying the days earnings.
No one ever bothered them, in fact, the unemployed and "wineos" would look after the girls and make sure they weren't bothered.
Times were certainly alot different..people had higher standards. Even if they were down and out...wouldn't lower themselves to thievery. This was in a big city too.


Kay sent me a great old hymn.
 O safe to the Rock that is higher than I,
My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;
So sinful, so weary, Thine, Thine, would I be;
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in Thee.

In the calm of the noontide, in sorrow's lone hour,
In times when temptation casts o'er me its power;
In the tempests of life, on its wide, heaving sea,
Thou blest Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in Thee.

How oft in the conflict, when pressed by the foe,
I have fled to my Refuge and breathed out my woe;
How often, when trials like sea billows roll,
Have I hidden in Thee, O Thou Rock of my soul.

Chorus:
Hiding in Thee,
Hiding in Thee,
Thou blest Rock of Ages,
I'm hiding in Thee.
Thanks, Kay! .I've been not a little depressed lately and this really spoke to me...

3 comments:

  1. Fascinating! I cannot believe those prices. I know they say everything is relative, and we earn so much more now, yet I am thinking the basics were more of a bargain back then...I really enjoyed yer post.

    It is certainly true that times were different, people weren't so uncontrolled and spoiled-acting. No, everyone wasn't angels, of course, but yer so right, many of the hobos did have honorable behavior.

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  2. Dani, even though I grew up in the 50's, we still had the little town bakery, and loved to go with my Dad to get a donut or an eclair. LOVED the smell of the breads! But since my Mom made homemade bread all the time, we didn't buy bakery or "store bought" bread.

    It's been a long time since I thought of that hymn, but it is one of my all time favorites! Now it will be going in my head all day! Thank you for that!

    Cora

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  3. Dani, I so enjoy reading your blog about your old- timey family history. I also have been browsing thru some old photos of our families. Most of My DH side I have no idea who they were. Carrolton, Missouri and a bakery. Mmmmm….
    My Grandfather worked at Tastee Bakery in Springfield, Missouri from before my Mother was born in 1930. It was finally closed and was bought out so he retired not long before he died, shoveling snow and heart attack.

    Thanks for the memories, I will post the photo I found of them on my blog too.
    Smiles, cyndi

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