Name/Title
Jose of the Douglas BakeryEntry/Object ID
2026.21.13Description
Color snapshot of a middle-aged man standing behind a shop counter. The photo was with others taken of a 1991 Support our Troops rally. See 2026.21.02
SDHC archives volunteer Judy Anthrop identified the man as José and that he ran a bakery/convenience store at 24 West Center Street in Douglas. She could not remember his last name. Sally Winthers posted the photo on facebook's Saugatuck Remembered on 26 Sept 2026. Many respondents remembered Jose and the baked goods he sold but none knew his last name.
A sampling of the Saugatuck Remembered responses:
"Jose! Knew right away who he was!"-- Andi Strickler
"OMG I haven’t seen him since I was a kid but remember being in the bakery all the time." -- Erin Wilkinson
"He had the best glazed donuts. 🍩" -- Renee Renaldi Zita
"I wish we could thank all the previous owners standing in person, there would be lots of tears but they would be the kind of tears that you want. There would be hugs and handshakes does anybody remember how the cash register under the counter worked? Well it was the kind that you added up in your head, you put the money in and give the change back. It was simple, beautiful and not very expensive." -- Mark Erlandson
"Oh Jose lol! He had the best carrot cake muffins. I would get them before school! Delicious.
He never believed my brother and I that we weren’t Mexican and would only speak to us in Spanish. Said we needed to know our language lol! We told him we were Portuguese but he didn’t believe us. I remember shutting down the Auction House at night and we had to go next door to Jose’s to find Craig to get the keys lol!!!"-- Naomi Shashaguay
"I recall the Morning Glory muffins on Saturday mornings. They were fantastic." -- Mark Neidlinger
"Anyone remember his BEAUTIFUL flower boxes? He had a special fertilizer recipe. I still have it. Really important: he was a very kind man and respected by all." -- Peg Sandford
"He lived in Glenn, and was so well liked." -- Maggie Baker Conklin
"He sure was a character." -- Marie Larco-Palazzolo
"I remember Jose’ donated a bottle of sherry for a school fundraiser 😂" -- Murphy Marcus
"Went to the bakery all of the time as a kid, when we were playing at Beery Field. There were those cool glass jars on the counter with lollies, and other candy you could buy for a nickel or a dime. Owner was always friendly and didn’t make you feel like you shouldn’t be there because you were ‘just a kid’. I remember the creaky wood floors, and the cool glass front cooler doors, with the heavy metal latches in the back. Cool memories of a much simpler time." -- Wendi Wightman
"Those were the days I know a long time ago Red Delky owned it Mickey O'Brien and the wicks, then along came Jose and his partner. A can of pop for a quarter and a donut for 15 cents. They got to partying quite a bit in the evenings sometimes you would go in there, and you would have to wake somebody up to pay lol those were good times. One time Rick Herringsma was delivering donuts for Red Delky in reds car which was kind of a hot rod and Rick spilled the donuts, but he gathered them up off the floor and back in the box in the delivery was made LOL." -- Mark Erlandson
"José and Gene had the Douglas Bakery. He was always super friendly we would sit in back and visit with him after closing." -- Linda Coney
"Ran a tab there every week till payday, he liked me...😆✌️🐒 Worked briefly at DEMONDS... Fun fella...🐒" -- Billy Bob Schock
"Jose and Gene. Wonderful cranberry muffins. Jose worked at Taft’s for a while." -- Leora Bennett
"I remember Jose. I stopped there many times to get donuts. He had a black and white cocker spaniel. He said it was called a party spaniel." -- Kathleen Johnson
"Jose was kind of a party animal himself LOL." -- Mark Erlandson
"...As for the Douglas Bakery, I believe the Smisers owned it prior to this list of locals that owned it. I remember that Marlene Smiser covered in flour dust would come out from the back to wait on us. Smisers also had a vegetable or produce stand along side the Douglas dinette (Everyday People Cafe) Pete Smiser was a blind man and he would ask to be paid for his produce and gladiolus in coin so he knew what he was getting paid. Yes, I remember Jose. We always felt comfortable sending the kids in for anything that we thought we needed. ( Jean Crawford ) I think Jose and our kids were on a first name basis. 😀" -- Sherry Wieland SchulzPhotograph Details
Type of Photograph
Print, photographSubject Person or Organization
24 W Center, Wild Dog, Copper Grille, Douglas BakeryCollection
Commercial businessesCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2026.21Source or Donor
Wisniewski, ScottAcquisition Method
Donation, unconditionalLocation
Filing cabinet
Files PropertiesCreate Date
October 9, 2026Update Date
October 10, 2026
