TRACY CITY, Tenn. ( WKRN ) — One small town in Grundy County is home to about 1,500 people, but that doesn’t include the thousands of visitors that come from all over to visit the oldest family-owned bakery in Tennessee.
Walking through the doors of Dutch Maid Bakery in Tracy City is like taking a step back in time.
“I would consider the bakery to be kind of like a museum….that’s working,” said Cindy Day, owner of Dutch Maid.
Founded in 1902 by Swiss immigrants, Dutch Maid is the oldest family owned bakery in the state.
“My favorite part of the bakery is when people eat what I make, and I get to hear them say that’s the best I ever had,” said Day.
Day is only the third owner of the bakery after an extended family member put it on the market in 2005.
“Sweetheart, the bakery is for sale! I think we should move back to Tennessee,” Day remembered telling her husband Gary.
Her husband Gary was still on the fence, responding with, “Are you nuts?!”
But almost 20 years later, Gary told News 2’s Blake Eason he’s proud of what they’ve continued together.