New owners make the doughnuts

Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr

HOULTON — The scent of fresh baked doughnuts permeates the air of downtown Houlton most every morning and is an undeniable reminder of a tradition dating back nearly seven decades.

Sadie’s Bakery, located on Water Street near Market Square, has been a doughnut tradition for generations in the greater Houlton area, and that tradition should continue for many years to come thanks to the recent sale of the business.

Thursday, Dec. 1, marked the first day under new ownership. Robin Green and Kristie Fitzpatrick purchased the iconic eatery from Blaine and Sharon Jackett. So far, the transition appears to be seemless according to the co-owners.

“Kristie and I had talked about doing this for a long time,” Green said. The two worked together for several years in the kitchen at Houlton Elementary School, preparing meals for the children. They also worked together several years ago in the deli department of a local grocery store.

“When it went up for sale the first time [back in 2014], it wasn’t the right time,” Green said. “So when it came back up for sale, this time we knew it was the right move.”

“We joked about it a couple of times at work, but then we both thought, ‘Well maybe we can do it,’” Fitzpatrick added. “I have always wanted my own business and I love to cook. Plus Robin and I work very well together.”

Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr

The Jacketts purchased the business from longtime owners Tim and Sharon O’Donnell back in May 2014 and remodeled the customer area to give it a more modern look. For two-and-a-half years, Sharon (Jackett) made the doughnuts each morning while her daughter Erika ran the front counter with the help of Blaine.

Sharon Jackett said running the bakery was a dream come true for her. “I had big shoes to fill with Tim and Sharon and I don’t think I could ever really fill them,” Sharon Jackett said. “I did my best with the knowledge I had and the training that Tim and Sharon gave me.”

But when she began to experience her own health issues with arthritis, exacerbated by the repetitive motion of kneading batter into dough, the Jacketts started seeking a buyer for the business.

For Green, acquiring the shop returns Sadie’s Bakery to the family as she is Sharon O’Donnell’s sister. She hopes to be able to convince Sharon O’Donnell to help out in the bakery from time to time.

For 67 years, Sadie’s Bakery has been an icon in the Houlton area, as the enticing smell of warm, freshly baked doughnuts wafts through the downtown air. The fact that the bakery is located around the corner from a fitness center likely makes it that much more difficult for many to get into workout mode.

Tim and Sharon O’Donnell made the doughnuts for 35 of those years. The Hodgdon couple purchased Sadie’s in May of 1978, but the business itself has a rich history. The O’Donnells sold the business as Tim was battling an aggressive type of cancer which proved too challenging to keep the store running. He passed away Dec. 5, 2014.

Mildred Oliver owned the shop for about 11 years before the O’Donnells purchased it. The business dates back to 1948 when Sadie Hand opened a bakery on Military Street. She later moved the doughnut and pastry business downtown to the Dunn Block and eventually to its current location on Water Street.

Pioneer Times photo/Joseph Cyr

The doughnut recipe, which is a closely guarded secret, has remained unchanged over the decades, but other elements at Sadie’s Bakery have been tweaked over time. At one time, they baked beans every Saturday evening and also supplied pastries, pies, bread and rolls for Irving, Sunoco, Woolco and Elm Tree Diner.

Today they offer muffins, cookies, whoopie pies, three types of bread, dinner rolls and other pastries, but it is the doughnut that continues to be their biggest seller. Another popular item with customers is fried doughboys, but those are only made one night a year during the town’s “Midnight Madness” celebration. On that night, a line of patrons waiting for doughboys can run anywhere from 30-50 deep.

Patrons’ habits have also changed over the years. In the past, there was a steady business of people coming in the afternoon buying doughnuts for the week. Today, the average customer is looking to get doughnuts for their place of work in the morning.

Sadies Bakery is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday is molasses doughnut day, while chocolate doughnuts are made on Fridays. Plain doughnuts are served on Thursdays and Saturdays.

For more information on Sadie’s Bakery, visit them on Facebook.