Evans Bakery closing: Dayton-area residents share favorite memories

💌 Mike Ivory said he has been going to Evans Bakery for 60+ years.

“My family lived next door at 706 Troy St. Every day, except Sundays, as we left our house, the exhaust fans blew that fantastic aroma in our faces. I was the youngest of 11 and just about all of us got our first job at either Schattschneider or Evans bakery,” he said.

He added his experience at Evans Bakery prepared him for a lifetime of good work ethic.

“I followed my love of the food industry and along with my wife, Joanne, spent 12 years running Christys Pizza and the next 23 years running Christys Catering Co. We are also retiring at the end of 2022,” Ivory said.

His favorite treats are the cream filled and glazed doughnuts.

“In my younger days when I delivered the Journal Herald newspaper, I would buy an unsliced loaf of the just out of the oven, fresh loaf of bread. Take it home and slice the end off and dig into that soft delicious center with a stick of butter,” he said.

💌 Catherine Marrs wrote she has been going to Evans Bakery since she was a kid.

“We could only afford to go occasionally as kids, but we always loved it when we could. It was always warm and inviting and delicious smells wafting the neighborhood,” Marrs said. “I would sit at EC Doren library and look over and see the beautiful tree in front bloom in the spring, be green in the summer, and turn beautiful colors in the fall, and in winter while dormant wait to bloom again.”

Her favorite treat are the raspberry rosebuds.

💌 Nathan Ludy said he has been going to the bakery his entire life.

“My Nana used to take us in when we were young,” Ludy wrote. “We would get Easter egg cakes every year. The most moist amazing cake ever and the icing was so sweet and colorful.

He added, “Thank you for all your loyal years of service to the community. You will be missed dearly!”

💌 Johnny Horn said he has been going to Evans Bakery for 60+ years.

“I have been coming to Evans Bakery ever since I was child with my grandma and grandpa when it was Schattschneider,” Horn said. “Later in life I moved to (Kentucky). Every time I come back to visit I still place an order and pick it up.”

His favorite treats are the Vienna bread, chocolate cream filled donuts and cakes.

“Thank You Jennifer, Matt, Bill and Rosemary for all the many years of providing excellent bakery products and friendship to the community. Best of luck for whatever you do next. I will surely miss you,” Horn wrote.

💌 David Burns wrote that the bakery’s Springerle cookies are the best.

“My sister was a fanatic about the Springerle cookies at Evans Bakery,” Burns said. “She would order several dozen each year as the season began, and usually would make another trip to get more. Having shared the cookies and made a couple of those trips to Evans with her, I can attest these are the best!”

💌 Tracie Russell wrote she has enjoyed taking her children to Evans Bakery.

“My husband started working on Springfield Street at one of the (factories) 12 years ago,” Russell said. “The owner would bring (doughnuts) in from Evans. My husband (w)ent over to pick some up one day, I fell in love.”

The pretzel doughnuts are her favorite.

💌 Debbie Lee wrote she worked down the street from the bakery when she was a teenager.

“That was my first time of having a Danish,” Lee said. “Oh my goodness so good!! I had never had anything like that. I went back often. Wonderful teenage memory.

She said her favorite type of Danish is the cherry.

💌 Becky Freeman Carter said she is sad to see the bakery close, but she has wonderful childhood memories.

“...When I would visit my Grandma, who lived on Warner Avenue a block away from the bakery, and she would always give me a little bit of money and I would walk down there and get some delicious goodies and go back and enjoy every single bite of my yummy treats!”

💌 Katy Vultee wrote that all through the ‘90s, the corner the bakery sits on was her school bus stop.

“We’d hurry and get ready in time to get down there and buy a fresh hot doughnut for 45 cents!”

She added, “Thanks to the family for so many wonderful years and treats!”

💌 Patricia Silver shared, “On a Christmas Eve, I stopped in to pick up a cake for my birthday as a last minute, unexpected chore and they obliged with the kindness of adding a little Christmas decoration to it and a hearty happy birthday wish as well.”

She added, " I can’t imagine not being able to stop there for a quick sweet treat. Sending thanks for the years of treats.”

The bakery’s last day for customers to buy a selection of treats from their showcase, including doughnuts, will be Saturday, Dec. 17. Evans said they are taking holiday orders through that day for pick up the week of Christmas.

The owners are hopeful somebody will buy the bakery and continue its tradition.