Jeff Green | Oct 29, 2015


This has been a year of transition for Gray's Grocery and more is coming.

Starting back in January, store owner Jonathan Desroche opened up a bake shop where the store's office used to be located, and ever since then the bake shop and catering business has steadily increased, to the point where “I would say it probably represents about 50% of our business now,” said Desroche when interviewed in the closet/office off the bake shop.

That is not to say that the grocery and deli sections of the store have taken a back seat.

“We still do everything we've always done,” said Desroche, “including having fresh meat from Gilmour's on 38 in Harrowsmith, Wilton Cheese and our deli counter. We've only added more.”

The bake shop sells breakfast sandwiches and savoury lunches, take-out dinners, fresh bread, pies, cookies, date squares, etc.

“I'd have to say that our butter tarts are our best selling single item, though,” he said. “We sell a lot of butter tarts just about every day - up to 200 a day in the summertime.”

The bakery also does catering jobs, large and small, and thanks to employee Chris Henderson, prepares custom decorated cakes for any and all occasions. All in all, Gray's Grocery employs seven people, most of whom work full time during the summer and part-time in the slower seasons.

The Desroche family has been in the retail business in Sharbot Lake for three generations. Jonathan's mom Sharon, who works behind the counter and bakes as well, operated Marg's Shoe Store for years, which was established by her mother-in-law Marg DesRoche.

“I think we understand how important it is, in a small town, to take the time to engage our customers, who are our neighbors, after all. It is also essential to make changes to bring in more customers and keep the business growing” said Jonathan Desroche.

To that end, Gray's will be selling pizza for takeout from Thursdays to Sundays starting this week. A customer appreciation event is set for tomorrow (Friday, October 30) between 11:30 and 12:30 to thank customers and to introduce Gray's Pizza. Free pizza and cake will be available for all customers over the lunch hour.

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