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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-05-16, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013. PAGE 11. Blyth native and best-selling author Erin Bolger is taking her Happy Baker know-how and turning it into a main street business in Bayfield. The author, who rose to fame when she released The HappyBaker: An Dater’s Guide toEmotional Baking,decided she wanted to operate a storefront bakery and recently opened The Pink Flamingo Bakery and Boutique at 28 Main Street North in Bayfield. “It’s on the main level of the Robinson building, right beside TheLittle Inn,” she said.While there is a grand opening set for Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m., the business has already been running for a short while having opened in the middle of April. Bolger said that she was surprised by how busy the store has been since then, but that, as a trial by fire, itshowed her she needed some help atthe business. “I wasn’t expecting it to be so busy right off the bat, but we were on the very first weekend,” she said. “I had everyone helping; my mom, family members, my husband, and we were all working non-stop, there wasn’t any time for a break. “It was good to be that busy though, because it helped me figure out the store,” she said. “I knew I was going to need to hire people, but I didn’t know how many. Now I have five people on staff: two students and three part-time employees.” The bakery is mostly focused on cupcakes according to Bolger, but there are other things for sale including biscotti, squares and cookies. All the items the bakery sells come in multiple flavours including Bolger’s own creation; the Pink Flamingo. “It’s our signature flavour and it’s a pink lemonade flavour,” she said. “We have pink flamingo cupcakes, squares and cookies and it’s selling really well. The Pink Flamingo cupcakes sell twice as much as any other flavour.” Bolger attributes the initial success of the bakery to the fact that they do so much of the work at the site. “People are surprised and happy to learn we do pretty much everything on site and I’m very particular about our ingredients,” she said. “We squeeze the lemons for the Pink Flamingo flavours, we grate the carrots for the carrot cake and we bake everything here. We only use good ingredients like butter and, if I have to, I go the distance for the ingredients I like. I’m very particular about my vanilla, for example, so we get it from Arizona.” The boutique part of the shop is also faring well, according to Bolger. Selling her book, plus all sorts of unique cooking utensils has made for a great destination shopping experience for visitors. “I wanted to have stuff that was unique no matter where you’re from,” she said. The shop is open Wednesdaythrough Friday 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. She said that they will be open on holidays. “Those are our spring hours,” she said. “They will probably be our fall hours as well. We’ll be open right through until Christmas Day I hope.” Keeping the store open beyond the booming season of spring and summer in Bayfield will provide a unique shopping experience, Bolger hopes, since so many stores close up when the summer ends. For more information visit The Pink Flamingo Bakery and Boutique on Facebook or thepinkflamingobakery.com/ Field fire The quick response of the Blyth hall of the North Huron Fire Department to a field fire on Tuesday, May 7 prevented major damage to an electrical pole just south of Blyth on County Road 4. The fire left huge swaths of a nearby field blackened and burnt a quantity of road-side grass. (Denny Scott photo) Serving for the mothers A Mother’s Day lunch and bake sale was held at Huronlea Home for the Aged last Friday and the event was so well attended that volunteers were even having trouble keeping up with the demand. Here Yvonne Knight, left and Lois Lee, centre, serve up some good eating to Teresa Blackwell. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Blyth ‘Happy Baker’ opens bakery in Bayfield www.part2bistro.ca Forgot Mother’s Day? Make it up with beautiful presentations, enticing aromas, incredible tastes...treat your someone special to an unforgettable meal at Blyth’s most sensational restaurant. 428 Queen Street, Blyth, ON ~ 226.523.FOOD Licensed (under AGCO) • Complete and partial dentures • Denture repairs ~ same day • Relines • Additions • Implant Retained Overdentures Albert Street Denture Clinic 50 Albert St., Clinton 519-482-1195 Clinton Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 9 am - 5 pm Goderich Dental Clinic 519-482-1195 Office of Dr. Olga Rodrigues 169 Bayfield Rd Goderich Hours: Fri. 9 am - 1 pm DENTURESthat fit... Dean R. McTaggart DD • Michelle K. Gimena DD Garden Art 398 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4276 By Denny ScottThe Citizen