For Mike Tennyson, the workday starts similarly to everyone else. He looks down at a pair of white New Balance shoes and takes a breath. Quietly, he puts on the first shoe. In deep thought, he glances at the other and places it on his other foot. “All these years of walking on this floor have been difficult on my feet,” Tennyson said. Following a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Tennyson maneuvers toward the kitchen of Munchers Bakery in Lawrence. He begins by taking ingredients down from a white shelf which has grown dusty with flower over the years. After glancing at the shelf, he says, “I guess we’ll start with the doughnuts,” and begins to measure the proper amounts of flour and sugar. What makes Tennyson’s workday different is that it begins around 11 each night and does not conclude until he is done the next morning. While these hours might drive some crazy, for example his wife, the late hours are part of the passion of being a skilled baker. “He is always one day ahead. It’s confusing for me because I never know what time he is on or what day he is in," Bonnie Tennyson said. This passion began in 1966 when Tennyson was 16, and he began working in the bakery at Dillions Grocery Store. “It all started by accident. He came into work, and they asked him to help out in the bakery,” Bonnie said. From there, he would find himself working in various bakeries around the country. “I always enjoyed the work, but I never really liked having to work under people,” Tennyson said. However, in 1989, Tennyson was finally able to live his dream of being a full-time baker. He had the opportunity to buy the bakery that would become known as Munchers. “When I got the opportunity to open this place, that was the best thing that ever happened,” Tennyson said. He would expound that he knew it was an opportunity that he could never pass up. It was his opportunity to exercise his passion for baking in the community of his birth, Lawrence. Since 1989, Munchers has become a Lawrence staple. While this may have something to do with convenient hours, many say it’s because of Munchers quality products. Tennyson makes everything from scratch. “I make everything from scratch because it’s cheaper,” Tennyson said. Despite his modesty, Tennyson takes pride in what he is producing. This can be seen in the effort he puts into his goods. While he usually comes in around 11 each night, there is not a definitive time that he leaves in the morning. “He is the John Wooden of doughnuts, he only closes two days a year and he’s been around for a while,” customer Rick Keltner said.
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