Update: 1 January 2026

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Happy New Year to all of our family, friends and loyal customers,

 

As with each new year, we often hear the phrase ‘new year, new me!’ Whether it be focused on health or careers or relationships. But in this new year, we’ve decided to focus on something different…”Our roots.”

 

While our catering service has been a focal point for many years, we have made the heavy hearted decision to bring this portion of our chapter in history to an end. 

 

It’s been an amazing 80 year run of catering, which most people wouldn’t even realize that the Bon Ton has been catering for that long. But it started out in the mid 40s, with Irv, Elsie and Amy at the family home on Oak Drive. “The Great Oaks Tea Room” serviced weddings, funerals, anniversaries, local organizations’ meetings and other events until 1990. While the main catering took place there, the Radtkes did some elite jobs outside of the home every so often. When the state came in in the late 80s and demanded the reconstruction of the historic family homestead for easier access, the hard decision was made to close the “Tea Room” and move our catering service permanently into the bakery.

 

The 90s and 2000s brought a different lifestyle to our catering, and we’ve developed many friendships along the way because of it. The menu choices expanded greatly, and because of that, the creation of the daily lunch specials came about in 2000. 

 

Catering continued to expand throughout the next 25 years. Company meetings and events were added to the agenda, which usually meant the deliveries took place during the noon time rush hours. When we were fully staffed and ‘younger’, this was easy to do. But with age and the decline in baking/catering staff, it has begun to take a toll. 

 

This decision hasn’t been easy, and there have been many tears over the thought of the end. 

 

But we’ve realized that this isn’t truly the end. 

 

It’s a new beginning.

 

Thoughts have been discussed, and plans have been made. 

 

Bon Ton will continue to service funerals in the community and we will continue our tradition of ‘Roasting your Turkey!’ on Thanksgiving morning. Our Daily Lunches will still commence with Josh’s incredible cooking! We will continue offering our homemade American and German Potato Salads, and all of our homemade deli salads in the store. We will be honoring those catering events that have already been booked with us for the next year (don’t worry, we won’t back out on you).

 

But as of today, we will no longer be booking catering events.

 

As we’ve said, it wasn’t an easy decision to make as it’s been a part of our lives for so long. 

 

But it’s time to refocus, regroup, and bring forth new, or rather, old traditions that the bakery originated on.

 

With the craziness of catering, sometimes the baked goods were put to the side. Literally. It happened daily. 

 

But here are our hopes for the years to come…

 

Cindy, John and Jessica are excited at the prospect of bringing you new baked goods. New scone flavors, cookies, desserts and flavored sourdoughs have been discussed. The return of chocolate donuts on Fridays, puff pastry (turnovers, pigs ears & more!), and even the thought of Eclairs and Cream Puffs in the store on Fridays like they once were! Jessica is looking forward to being able to continue custom cookies and cakes for your special events. We are even pulling out the old family recipes and hope to bring you treats that had disappeared with the past.

 

But we are most excited about bringing you the quality goodness of an old fashion bakery back to its roots. 

 

Anne, Fran, Nadia, Sherry and Deb will continue their ventures behind the counter; serving the community sweets, baked goods and noon lunches. They are excited to get back after the new year.

 

The daily lunches and deli… Josh is geared up and ready for this new and exciting change. We all are! Our daily menu will continue to change weekly. We will still offer you home cooked meals like Swiss Steak, Turkey Dinner and Baked Cod. But Josh is enthused about bringing your new recipes for our main meals, soups, deli salads and even sandwiches! Also we are throwing around the idea of bringing back John’s Ribs on the Grill on Saturdays! 

 

So as we said, with every end comes a new beginning. 2026 will be the Bon Ton’s new (and old) beginning in its 109th year!

 

Happy New Year! Stay safe, and we’ll see you again on Tuesday (January 6th) at 5:30AM!

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Love to you all,

John, Cindy, Jessica & Josh