Brown’s Sweet Shop Celebrates 75 Years
By Cassidy Condon
Versailles High School Class of 2014

Senior Scribes Scholarship recipient

Fried rolls, glazed donuts, and fruit pies are among the several mouth-watering treats customers have craved at Brown’s Sweet Shop for 75 years. For the past several decades, the late Harry Brown and his son, Larry, have dedicated their lives to The Sweet Shop because they love all that comes with it. The loyal customers and the baking are among the many reasons of why they love this bakery.

It all started in 1939 when Harry purchased the Versailles Sweet Shop just two days before marrying Dola Bunger. The two spent their honeymoon working in the shop trying to get it ready for opening day. After realizing they could not do all of the work themselves, they hired Betty Kremer, who met her husband when she was in the bakery frying rolls at the age of sixteen. Betty is still alive today and loves to tell her romantic story, along with others made, at the bakery.

A few years later, World War II broke out, and Harry enlisted in the navy as a baker. Since he had to leave, the store closed down only to reopen when he returned in June of 1946. John Coffield was hired that same year and eventually bought The Sweet Shop in 1979; he sold the business to Teresa Oswalt in 1989, and it came back to the Brown family when Larry purchased it in 1995.

After retirement, Harry still helped around as much as possible even after the death of his wife, Dola, when he was 93. Some can only dream of loving their jobs as much as Harry loved working at The Sweet Shop. Even around his death in 2012, Harry continuously helped at the bakery.

Today, Larry still works at the bakery and keeps all of his customers satisfied through his hard work and dedication. Here’s to 75 years of Brown’s Sweet Shop and hopefully 75 more years to come.