SOUTH BEND — It’s not just a bake shop that sits at the corner of Michigan and Wayne streets in South Bend. It’s Dainty Maid, and it’s tradition.

“I have been coming to this bakery for about 10 years,” says Hope Nutting, a loyal customer.

You can buy several different types of pastries at Dainty Maid, but on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 9, it was all about paczkis. A lot of paczkis.

“Probably between 1,200 to 1,400 dozen,” says long time baker Paul Podemski.

Dainty Maid sells many different flavors, including chocolate, strawberry, apple and many more. Unfortunately, this is a tradition that is unexpectedly coming to an end.

“More than likely this is going to be the last paczki day for Dainty Maid, and as far as I know the business will actually be closing on Saturday,” explains Podemski.

It was just last week owner David Hab died unexpectedly due to complications from a heart attack.

“He loved the community, he loved his customers and he made it a point that he wanted to be doing deliveries. I always offered, I tried to help out here and there but he was like, ‘No, I want to meet the customers and want to get to know everybody,’” says David’s grandson Michael Hab.

“The retirement age is 65 and he was 80 years old, and he probably would have kept going until, I don’t know, he would have just kept going until someone told him otherwise, until he couldn’t anymore,” Hab continues.

“There are a lot of people that just really appreciate the owners and everything they have brought to this community, and I think the paczkis are tradition and it will be greatly missed,” adds Nutting.

So while Dainty Maid may not physically be open anymore, the stories it has helped create through the community will last forever.

“You didn’t just know Dainty Maid, you also knew David Hab,” says Michael.

Memorial services for David Hab will be held on Friday, Feb. 12 at the New Apostolic Church located at 5602 S. Ironwood Dr. in South Bend. Visitation is from 5:30-7 p.m. with a service to follow at 7 p.m.

The future of the bakery is uncertain, but according to their Facebook page, they plan to close soon and will try to sell the business. They say this is the last time they will participate in Fat Tuesday with their traditional Paczki.

Source: WNDU