The co-owner of Sluys Bakery, Stephanie Sluys, draws the curtain open a bit to share a glimpse of how their bakers make everything from scratch, from the absolute ground up with base ingredients, according to many original recipes. By 1:00 am, the baking team opens the shop’s doors, and, without hyper-focusing on only a couple of items, they craft a large variety of donuts, cupcakes, eclairs, cream puffs, breads, and dinners rolls. The sun rises along with each baked good.

The business’s birth was in 1966, and, with the driving power of word-of-mouth recommendations, its cultivation has been gradual and steady every since. This store is one of a kind, and the team knows that its unique qualities are few and far between, which is why each part of this whole space works hard to run and maintain their brand.

 

 

Stephanie invites people to reflect on the difference a baked delicacy has when made by hand rather than by a cold, metal machine. Further, consider the toll on individuals and a community when a machine replaces someone’s work. Though the process might consume more time and finished products might not be exactly uniform, Sluys Bakery prefers to do everything by hand because that is what makes them such a rarity and gives them a personal touch.

 

 

The light, warmth, and inspiring smells coming from Sluys Bakery truly are a team effort. Marion and Loretta Sluys created all the recipes that are known and loved by Kitsap County. Dan Sluys is a master baker, like his father, Marion, and he runs the business with his wife, Stephanie, who handles a lot of public relations. Eric Miller has been the manager of Sluys Bakery for twenty of the past fifty-three years of this mom-and-pop shop’s growth. Their precious collections of recipes may adjust over time to play with different ingredients, but almost all are based on the recipes Sluys Bakery has followed since their conception.

 

 

The Sluys Bakery team hopes their customers experience a little bit of nostalgia, bringing back sweet memories of childhood or family gatherings. They want their customers to experience the best, whether it’s their first visit or they are a regular. They only made recipes come to life if they can’t find the right, quality ingredients.

In 2020, they are challenging themselves to come up with a new donut every month – January’s was a Blueberry Ginger Fritter! Do yourself a favor and step into Sluys Bakery to find a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty of all that is made by hand.