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INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

By Susan W. Murray NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Good news for Woodstock residents who have mourned the loss of the Swiss Maid Bakery, lo, these past 21 months.

Brett Nelson, the owner of By the Dozen Bakery in Machesney Park, told The Woodstock Independent that he planned to open at the former Swiss Maid’s Woodstock location, 212 N. Benton St., in February or March.

“Before Paczki Day,” Nelson said optimistically.

That’s a tight calendar with an early Easter in 2021. Paczkis are a traditional indulgence on Mardi Gras, the day before Ash Wednesday. In 2021, Ash Wednesday falls on Feb. 17. the Dec.1 opening of a second location of his bakery in the former Swiss Maid at 104 E. Brainard St. in Harvard. That was Swiss Maid’s primary location with all its baking equipment and a retail outlet. Nelson said that bakery would offer By the Dozen products as well as “all of the former Swiss Maid recipes.”

Nelson’s request that Facebook users tag and share the post with family and friends received what Nelson called an “overwhelming” response – more than 1,000 likes, 1,000 shares, and 300 comments on By the Dozen’s Facebook page within 24 hours.

The comments were punctuated with questions about favorite doughnuts and pastries, with many asking, “What about Woodstock?”

Nelson said the first order of business would be to get the Harvard location up and running just ahead of the busy Christmas season. Once that is in place, attention will turn to Woodstock.

Kevin Olesen bought the Woodstock Swiss Maid with financing from owner Paul Stricker in 2018. A little over a year later, Olesen handed Stricker the keys and walked out.

At that point, bankruptcy proceedings had to play out, but Nelson and Stricker were already talking about the possibility of By the Dozen taking over the business.

The bankruptcy case was resolved by March of this year, Nelson said, with Stricker regaining the buildings and equipment.

Stricker is working with Nelson to restart the business.

“He’s in the kitchen as we speak,” Nelson said by phone from the Harvard location on Tuesday morning. See BAKERY, Page 14

Transactions filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office Sept. 25 to 30.. ■ Residence at 8612 W. Sunset, Wonder Lake, was sold by Jolayne Hall, Richmond, to Jonah D. Fischer, Wonder Lake, for $130,000. ■ Residence at 3880 Crabapple Lane, Wonder Lake, was sold by Sean Schultz, Wonder Lake, to Laszlo Anthony Szalay, Wonder Lake, for $270,000. ■ Residence at 10814 Bull Valley Road, Bull Valley, was sold by Mary Cadieux, Woodstock, to Nicholas M. and Britnie M. Sheridan, Bull Valley, for $349,900. ■ Residence at 1500 Wicker St., Woodstock, was sold by Stephen Edwin Davis, Box Elder, S.D., to Rosy Hernandez, Woodstock, for $202,500. ■ Residence at 235 Wildmeadow Lane, Woodstock, was sold by Amanda Baunach, Crystal Lake, to Brianna DeCicco, Woodstock, for $154,000. ■ Residence at 9103 Pine Ave., Wonder Lake, was sold by Midway Mechanical Hvac, Inc., Ringwood, to Michael J. Gubitose, Wonder Lake, for $205,000. ■ Residence at 12312 Roger Road, Woodstock, was sold by Knapp Leasing LLC, Woodstock, to Kody J. Mooneyham, Woodstock, for $150,000. ■ Residence at 701 St. John’s Road, Woodstock, was sold by Jesus Arellano, Washington Court, Ohio, to Thomas G. Rogers, Woodstock, for $196,000. ■ Vacant land, approximately 17,000 square feet, at Lot 45 Prairie Terrace, 717-723 Carlisle Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Darrin Fischer, Woodstock, to Miguel Fajardo, Wonder Lake, for $17,750. ■ Equestrian Facility, at 1310 Lamb Road, Woodstock, was sold by Richard S. Vlahos and Beverly Vlahos, McHenry, to Pedro Dominguez, Carpentersville, for $480,000.

BAKERY

“He’s teaching us how to execute that quality product that everyone loved here.”

Paul’s brother John Stricker, owner of Practical Baker Inc. and Arrow Aluminum Manufacturing, is partnering with Nelson in the new venture. Nelson said he has been doing business for bakery equipment with John Stricker for 15 years.

“John couldn’t see the bakery die,” Nelson said.

Because of the bankruptcy proceedings, the Swiss Maid name can no longer be used. The Harvard and Woodstock locations will be known as By the Dozen Bakery.

Like the Strickers, Nelson comes from a long line of bakers. His grandfather opened Donutland, with locations all over Illinois, in 1954.

Brett Nelson’s By the Dozen in

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Machesney Park celebrated 25 years in business in 2019.

By the Dozen is known for its large variety of doughnuts – 36 to 48 in the case at any one time – and its highquality cakes, Nelson said.

“We make a lot of wedding cakes,” he added.

By the Dozen also services 90 wholesale stores, primarily in doughnut sales.

Before COVID, Nelson said, By the Dozen employed 36 people; currently, he has 16 employees. He expects to put 16 to 20 people to work in Harvard where the breads and some other bakery items will be produced.

While Nelson plans to slowly roll out Swiss Maid recipes into the bakery’s regular selection, he pleaded for patience from customers.

“It’s been hard to get specialty ingredients during the pandemic,” he said.

The Harvard location, beginning Dec. 1, will open at 6 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Customers may now place orders by calling 815-943-7282.

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