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The bakery at Dymond's farm stand has reopened under new ownership. it's now called "Dymond's by Kate." Katlin Evans reopend the bakery on Dec. 5th. cv22evansp4 Warren Ruda / The Citizens’ Voice
The bakery at Dymond's farm stand has reopened under new ownership. it's now called "Dymond's by Kate." Katlin Evans reopend the bakery on Dec. 5th. cv22evans Warren Ruda / The Citizens’ Voice
KINGSTON TWP. — A long-operating Shavertown bakery that closed at the end of 2016 is open again.
The bakery section of Dymond’s Farm Market and Bakery is now “Dymonds by Kate.”
Cathie Fetterman, a longtime friend of the Dymond family, reopened the shop near state Route 309 and Main Road with her daughter Katlin Evans earlier this month.
The Dymond family closed the bakery at the end of 2016 after 34 years in business, citing a heavy workload that came with running the shop. They continued to run the farm market, which they still operate.
When the store closed, Fetterman and Evans saw an opportunity to go into business for themselves and work alongside each other.
“I thought I could help her build this business. And we make a pretty good team,” Fetterman said.
Evans has a degree in pastry arts from Luzerne County Community College and has earned awards from the Luzerne County Fair for a Swedish apple pie and from the Bloomsburg Fair for a double chocolate cake with raspberry jam. She’s headed back to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in 2018 with that cake recipe.
She credits Rich Nemetz, the head of LCCC’s pastry department, for helping her decide to make baking her career.
“He’s kind of the one who made me believe in myself,” she said.
The pair use some Dymond recipes, and Jolaine Dymond, who previously ran the bakery, comes in occasionally to help pass down her techniques.
“She coaches me along to make sure I’m doing it the way she did it, which is pretty cool,” Evans said.
They have also added their own creations. Pies, sticky buns, cookies and cakes are among the offerings. Once the new year starts, they plan to add more to the menu, including soups and breads.
Customers used to the local bakery’s presence have been happy to see the establishment open again, Fetterman said.
“People told me we had to reopen because their property values were down since Dymond’s (bakery) closed,” she joked.
When the Dymond family closed the bakery, they said they would be willing to offer the space to another baker, perhaps a younger one with fresh ideas about how to run and market the store.
Besides her baking, Evans has some ideas for whipping up the shop’s online and social media presence. She is planning a revamped Facebook page, complete with short videos showing the bakers at work or explaining a recipe, as well as an Instagram account, which would be a new idea for the shop.
This time of year, the market is selling Christmas trees and wreaths. In season, it offers produce from the Dymond’s farm.
The mother and daughter are looking forward to their work. The store is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the weekend.
“As long as we get support from the Back Mountain and the surrounding areas, we’ll be here as long as they want us here,” Fetterman said.
Contact the writer:
bwellock@citizensvoice.com
570-821-2051, @CVBillW
http://citizensvoice.com/news/popular-back-mountain-bakery-gets-new-life-1.2282196