Little dough needed for a career kneading dough: How to win a B.C. bakery
When B.C. couple Robyn and Shawn Haley decided to retire, they wanted to ensure their plan wasn’t just another half-baked scheme.
Rather than selling their Kamloops business, Erwin’s Fine Baking and Delicatessen—a community staple since 1971, the husband and wife decided to put on a contest to find the rightful owner.
Speaking to CTV Morning Live on Friday, Robyn Haley says the seeds for the idea were planted five years ago, after she read a story about a woman who gave her home away through a contest.
“It gave a family who would never have the ability to afford a home like that the opportunity to have a future there. It really got me thinking, ‘Why couldn’t we do this with a business?’” Haley said.
The contest officially launched in April and the deadline for entries—which each cost $1,000—is July 20, with the possibility of an extension if the minimum of 500 entries isn’t received by then.
Applicants must be aged 19 or older. On top of paying the entry fee, candidates must submit an essay about themselves and why they should win the bakery, which is valued at $395,000.
Once the contest closes, two independent judges will narrow the finalists down to the top 10 before determining the winner and three runners up.
“We’re looking for someone who has business experience, whether it’s transferable from one industry to another, a good support network, drive and the vision to keep this business going for the next 50 years,” Haley said.
She describes the bakery as a traditional, small batch, made-from-scratch bakery, where the ingredients used are ones that most people already have available at home.
While the winner is welcome to change the name of the bakery, Haley cautions against it.
“The name means a lot in this community, so I would think long and hard about changing it,” she said.
As the end of the couple’s ownership nears, Haley says she and her husband are starting to exchange phone numbers with locals and regulars.
“One of the hardest parts for both of us about retiring is stepping away from the customers we’ve become so attached to. Not seeing them is going to be a transition for us,” said Haley.
Anyone interested in putting their name in the baker’s hat can find more information at ownabakery.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
BREAKING 15-year-old boy stabbed Thursday in Nepean dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
The Maple Leafs battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
Mexican authorities say thieves killed 2 Australians and an American to steal their truck
Thieves killed two Australians and an American on a surfing trip to Mexico in order to steal their truck, particularly because they wanted the tires, authorities said Sunday.