Editorial about Brownie's in Parkerburg WV. sentinel

Remembering history of Brownie's By JOAN PRITCHARD One of the saddest events in Marietta's history was the recent fire that destroyed Brownie's Bakery. The Brown family has worked so hard to provide its special bakery goods for local consumption, and both the family and the items they produced brought a smile to all who dealt there. Being a baker is not an easy job. When you think of the hours Neil Brown spent producing his breads, coffee cakes, cookies and sweet rolls - hours when the rest of the town slept - you realize this job takes a special man. I remember when Neil's father started the bakery. As I recall he had worked for many years for the Pfaff Bakery, and when it closed its doors he went out on his own, doing a super job. Then Neil joined the crew, eventually taking over, and Marietta still had a bakery of which it could be proud. When I was growing to adulthood there were several bakeries in downtown Marietta. Schramm's and Pfaff's were on the same side of Putnam Street and in the same block. The New System Bakery, also on Putnam Street, was located across the street from the other bakeries. Bentz Home Bakery was in the 400 block of Warren Street. Three of the four were owned by families with German backgrounds. Bakeries now are found in grocery stores, but their products will never compare with the homemade goods produced by the early bakeries or by Brownie's. Some smart real estate owner would be ahead of the game to offer Neil and Dixie Brown a building (rent free for a year) and help them get restarted in the bakery business. And I bet a lot of town folks would pitch in and do whatever Browns would permit - paint, hammer or even sweep. I know I'm available.

Brownie's Bakery....I was just reminiscing

Oh god, where to start here. I'm sitting here with a heavy aching heart right now. Around 9:30 tonight I got a call from my younger brother informing me that he was standing in front of our Dad's bakery and that it was totally engulfed in flames.... This bakery is in our hearts and in all of our souls for life whether we want to admit it or not... and I for one have always been proud. It was the bread and butter of our family and my Dad's 4th child. Oh how we loved to go in there as kids and watch dad at his work bench. This same workbench was refurbished with the help of good friends just last year after he was totally wiped out after the flood in October. Dad made a big come back after totally redoing the whole place. We were all so proud of him for that. My grandpa also was there when we were little and his eyes would always light up and twinkle when he saw us and he'd give us a cookie and tell us something funny or silly and make us giggle. He'd then lean back in his chair on two legs and chew a big wad of tobacco. (gosh, I hope they saved that chair) We thought we were so special but as we got older we realized he gave all the kids who caught his eye a cookie, and all the children were special to him. My Dad is so amazing and I never could fathom how he could bake all that stuff in one night. It is like a miracle or like Christmas morning when you go in there in the wee hours of the morning and see all the beautiful pastries and bread that he baked all night long. He had no Keebler elves either, just Bill his right hand man and loyal employee and buddy for some 20 plus years. It's some kind of miracle for me to bake 2 different kinds of cookies in one night and one loaf of bread takes me 3 hours in the bread machine. My Dad was so dedicated to that place that nothing could keep him away. Even holidays and vacations he would always be doing something down there. Even now as an adult when I'm home on vacation, I love to sit on a stool and watch him work his magic baking up the most tasty treats and mouth watering goodies... Now even more than ever it amazes me the hardwork and strength my Dad has shown keeping a business running all those years.....over 50 years in fact. Today is the end of an era in the city of Marietta Ohio and I for one will never ever forget the sight of my Dad standing at his workbench. I love my Mom and Dad more than they will ever even be able to imagine and this is one more heartache I wish I could take away from them. I am so sorry for their loss of the business but will never forget all the happy memories of Dad bringing in special cupcakes to my grade school class for every little occasion and the beautiful birthday cakes I always had and the beautiful wedding cake my older brother made for me there. I will always remember standing out in front with my brothers and all the cousins watching all the parades coming down the street and the faces of the children who came and pressed their runny little noses up to the glass with that gleam in their eyes as they spied all the delectable treats.... My dad as hard as he worked couldn't have done it all without Mom who was always working hard too. She worked mornings on Fridays and weekends and Sundays cleaning and Mondays too and did all the bookwork and tons of other things that made it such a success. As kids we had it made because we had our Saturday mornings free to watch all the cartoons we wanted and I helped out cleaning showcases on Sundays sometimes .. oh yuck sticky fillings and goo stuck to the glass. I'm still waiting for the call to let me know it's all gone but somehow I know in my heart that it is and I wish I was there to hold and hug each and everyone of you...I love and miss you all. I'm so sorry.....please know that right now my heart is there and my tears are here but I'll always be there for you.