It’s Wayback Wednesday, sponsored by Jamie Lockwood, broker/owner of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty!
Peter Boley was the first Italian worker at the Huntsville tannery. When he returned home to Italy for his wife and family in 1906, his friend Luigi Allemano came back with him. Tannery owner C.O. Shaw was so taken with their work ethic that he asked them to return to their hometown of Meana di Susa to recruit more men, which they did in 1913. Peter’s sons Albert and Ting opened a bakery and dairy bar on Main Street in December 1940. Although Boley’s Bakery closed in March 1964, the restaurant is still remembered fondly by some residents and summer visitors.
From Huntsville With Spirit and Resolve by Susan Pryke, c2000.
See more Wayback Wednesday photos here.
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I remember, as a young child, the highlight of weekly trips to town on the Algonquin from Penlake to shop was to go to Boley’s for lunch and to watch the doughnut machine. Our grandsons are the fifth generation to spend their summers at our now 100 year old seasonal cottage.
My mother did there laundry for a while and my Aunt Blanche was a cook there for years. I remember they were very kind people.
There never was a cream puff or donut that could compare to Boleys! My first job paid $12.50 for a forty hour week when I was thirteen. Great people worked there.
I worked as a launch driver at Bigwin Inn. No credit cards. When a family checked out I drove their cheque to the bank for deposit. After I would buy a dozen cream puffs at Boleys, take them to the downstairs bar at the Empire and have a 10 cent draft and a pickled egg and the best cream puff ever. Great memories.
I remember it well.
Eventually in the back they had a luncheon bar that was only for the staff of the stores on Main Street. I would go there after school with my Dad for a treat.
Once I got into high school we would go there after school.[ Public and high in the same building].
One day we were surprised because it seemed like overnight they had installed an automatic doughnut machine out in the store for all to see. After that we loved to have a honey doughnut holding vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce in the centre. Yum, yum. The Good Old Days !!
Boleys bakery was a favourite place to go after the movies for wonderful thick milkshakes and pastries. There coconut cream pie was to die for.
I have never forgotten their milkshakes.