In this edition of Sowega Live’s spotlight on local businesses, we interviewed Jenny Oldaker, owner of Isaac’s bakery.
The History
Isaacs bakery has been a part of Bainbridge for a very long time. In fact, it is the oldest business still operating here today. H. E. Isaac Sr. opened up shop in 1928. He then sold it to H.E. “Poodle” Isaacs Jr. and his wife Hilda in the 50’s, before being passed down to Al and Marilyn Isaac Collins.. It was then sold to Tina and Shannon Brock. A while later, Jenny Oldaker bought the business, and she has owned it for a little over a year. Isaacs is a small bakery located on the square that has been loved by many people for many years. I remember when I was a little girl, I would walk from dance class to enjoy one of those famous sugar cookies on my break. According to Jenny, those dancers still come and have a snack or even a meal. There are so many similar stories from long time customers of the store that makes the store one of the most iconic and special stores in our little town.
The Business
Not only does Isaacs have the best baked goods in town, they also have a wide variety of delicious sandwiches, soups, salads, and their most famous chicken ‘n dumplings. They didn’t want to change anything on the menu from 88 years ago, but they did add more menu items.
“It’s nice to go back and look at recipes in Mrs. Marilyn’s handwriting, and bringing those recipes back.”
Although they can’t bring everything back from the past, they sure do try. From the cherry chews at Christmas time to the Turkish Macroons, old time favorites are still a huge hit at Isaacs.
The Story
Jenny grew up in New York, where she learned to bake at a young age, probably around 7. She left The Big Apple when she was 18 years old and has spent the rest of her time here in Bainbridge, where she has raised her two children. Jenny Oldaker teaches cooking classes at Bainbridge High School and has coached soccer and cross country for many years. The classroom is very different from the bakery and the connection with her former students are strong.
“In the classroom, i didn’t always make the students happy. But at the bakery, my goal is to make every single customer happy.”
She explains that the change was hard, but she wanted to keep everything to same, but she did put her own spin on the bakery. For instance, when you walk into the bakery, all you see is that pop of hot pink. The employees say that if you know Mrs. Jenny, then you know that fits her personality perfectly. She is also very confident in every employee she has. Mrs. Jenny explained to us in our in-depth interview that her workers consists of people who have worked there before or people who she has taught so they already know the basics of cooking. Jenny talks about how important this business is to her and how her love for baking has grown. She is ready to make more memories and to relive some old ones.
Check out Isaac’s Bakery:
Tuesday – Thursday from 8-5
Saturday from 8-3
You can also call: 229-246-4354
–Alyson Matthews
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