A Kapuskasing bakery that’s been serving the community for over half a century will be operating under new ownership.
La Boulangerie has been owned and operated by Simon and Louise Dubosq for 28 years. However, on Nov. 20, they took to their Facebook page to announce that they have sold the business, with their last day of operation being Dec. 2.
Lousie said she and Simon met at La Boulangerie on her 21st birthday when she was working there for a previous owner during her second year of university.
“Simon had started working there in February of that year and we met on the day of my birthday for the first time and we've been married 45 years now,” she said.
“Simon kept working there because he was a qualified baker. I was just a clerk and cake decorator. So I found another job, but then when we had the kids, I took some time off. But I always went every now and then for just about every owner to help here or there if they needed a cake decorator.”
In 1995, the previous owner declared bankruptcy.
“It was either moving out of town to find another bakery that would need my husband, or buying it. So we decided to buy it,” Louise said.
While the hours were long, it has been very satisfying, Louise said. “You're part of people's lives. Cake decorating for weddings, christenings, birthdays… every occasion. I was there in those family’s lives. And Simon was there with all the goodies and the good bread,” she said.
Simon said they’ve had lots of help over the years, especially from their six children.
“Our kids were always here to help us. When we bought the place, the eldest was 17 and the youngest was three,” Louise said.
Both Louise and Simon said their children were basically raised at the bakery and have all played an immense role at some point or another. They said their second eldest child had even worked there before they had purchased it.
“One of them is a graphic designer. He's not doing that anymore, but he came up with our logo,” Louise said.
“My eldest daughter learned how to decorate cakes with me. Saturday is always a big day for cakes, so on Fridays I would stay quite late at the bakery and decorate cakes and she would stay and help. Like each one of our kids brought something to us.”
The couple said they made the decision to retire and sell the business because of the gruelling hours and to give themselves the opportunity to spend time with their children and 12 grandchildren. “I have to take care of myself now,” Simon said.
Louise said they had interest from contractors who wanted to buy the property to turn it into apartments, but when the mayor met with Simon once, he asked him to promise if they were to ever sell, they would sell a bakery and not a building.
“The town would not have been happy and nobody wants to be responsible for shutting down the bakery in Kapuskasking,” she said. “It's been here for a long time. Where we are now is not the first bakery, the owner that we worked for when we met, he had the bakery just across the street from where we are now and that had been there just about since the start of the town. Kapuskasing has always had a bakery.”
One of two the new owners, Shawn Boucher, was born in Kapuskasing and his parents both had businesses in town, Louise said. Boucher has previously worked at the bakery. Louise said the second owner is Stacy Buyersbergen and that Simon plans on staying at the bakery for a few months as an advisor.
Louise said the response from the community has been touching. Their Facebook post sharing the news received hundreds of reactions, shares and comments.
“It's been crazy,” she said. “I knew when I wrote that that it would start an avalanche, but not quite as much as that. We can't even go outside anymore. People are congratulating us. I've actually gone to a funeral since then and there were more congratulations than condolences. People were hugging me. They were so happy for us, but they're sad too because they think it's not going to be the same. But Shawn is going to be great.
“The comments I've been getting, I don't mind saying I've been crying a lot when I’ve been reading them.”
The community has been unbelievably supportive over the years, Louise said.
“We really want to thank everyone. It’s been unbelievable. We’ve had it for 28 years, but we’ve been a part of it for 47,” she said.
Simon said, “A big piece of our hearts will always remain there.”
