CHRIS LOWREY
SHAWVILLE Sept. 26, 2018
The Pontiac Home Bakery has been named the sweetest bakery in Eastern Canada. The bakery finished in the province’s top spot and second in the country.
Voting in The Sweetest Bakery in Canada competition started in May and the Pontiac Home Bakery was up against some stiff competition – more than 700 bakeries across the country, many of which are in urban centres with large populations.
But the small population of the Pontiac showed its pride by voting in droves to push the bakery to a second place finish nation-wide.
“It’s a pretty big feat, for sure,” said bakery owner Dan Duggan.
The bakery has been providing freshly-risen treats for more than sixty years, while Duggan has been at the helm for the last 11 years.
Duggan was approached by his supplier who encouraged him to enter the competition.
“Honestly, I hoped for the top 20,” Duggan said of his expected finish. “As we got rolling along we were at 12, then 11 and then we cracked the top 10.”
At that point, Duggan said his daughter, Kate, opened his eyes to the fact that they had a chance to take the whole thing.
“She said, ‘You know, dad, I never thought we really had a chance, but we could actually win this,’” Duggan said.
Duggan admits he can’t take credit for the win.
“It was all to do with the people who voted,” he said. “Without [them] we would not be in that position.”
Duggan plans to thank all those who voted for the bakery by hosting a party for the community.
“When I was on CTV I said if we win there’ll be a party in the Pontiac because we know how to party in the Pontiac,” he said.
Duggan said there will be four stand-up comedians who will be performing on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Pontiac Agricultural Hall.
Not only will there be comedians on hand, but Duggan also said there would be musical entertainment and minor hockey volunteers will be staffing the bar.
“We’ll have live entertainment with special guests set up from 9:30 till the cows come home,” he said with a chuckle.
Duggan said it’s important to show the community how much their effort means to him and the business.
“The main thing is we want to thank the customers,” he said.
He said that being labeled the Sweetest Bakery in Eastern Canada will help the business attract clientele from all over.
“The goal is to get people off the highway,” Duggan said.
He also hopes that the people that are lured into town by the bakery will stick around and visit other businesses, thereby creating a spinoff effect.
But most of all, Duggan said that this serves as a shot in the arm for his business directly fro the community.
“It reinvigorates you,” he said.
