Ron and Sharon Fikkert took ownership of the Boissevain Bakery on December 1st, 1980 and the May long weekend will be their last weekend in the bakery.

The Fikkerts have sold their business to former Boissevain resident Alannah Moody. Moody officially takes ownership Tuesday May 24th. “It feels great and I’ve been on this path for a decade now and it has been my dream and to see it come to fruition is a dream come true and it’s great to be home.”

Moody graduated from ACC’s culinary arts program back in 2011 before moving on to work in oil sands camps before moving to Edmonton to work in a "from scratch" bakery for the past seven years.

The Fikkerts decided after four decades it was time to sell the business. “We woke up one morning and I looked in a mirror and thought I look like a retired old man so I thought it was time.”

Sharon Fikkert says the demand for their baking has changed at least for the type of items people want. “When we first started you had white bread, brown bread, dinner rolls and donuts and now you look at all the different varieties of bread that people want like multi grains and the whole bit and then we have all the decorated cakes. Back in those days it was white bread, brown bread and the odd cookies.”

“I’ve always started work around 3:00 am and I won’t miss that but as far as the baking and technical side flour is flour and sugar is sugar and none of that has changed so things have remained pretty basic over the years” said Ron Fikkert.

Alannah Moody is excited to take ownership May 24th and the front of the bakery will be closed for some renovations out front and she plans to reopen as soon as possible.

“I’ll start off getting into the groove making sure my wholesale customers are taken care of and obviously they’ll be a priority. As I go through things I want to introduce some new products. I’m really interested in sourdough baking along with more pies, cheesecakes and those sort of things.

“I’m excited to get going because I’m in really good company in this town with lots of other young entrepreneurs who are out there killing it and I’m looking forward to joining the ranks.”

As for the future Ron and Sharon Fikkert plan to stay in Boissevain and enjoy their free time.

“My garden tractor has lights and I like getting up early so I might do some early morning grass cutting around 4:00 a.m. just to tick off the neighbours” Ron Fikkert said jokingly.