On Tuesday morning, July 20th, a remodeled version of Mary’s bakery reopened after being closed for renovations for almost 2 years. In 2019, the decision was taken to upgrade the aging building. In the interim, operations were carried out through means of a makeshift facility at the side of the original structure.
The bakery, which is a source of supply for customers all across the island, is now operating once again under the same management but with a new, more comfortable ambiance. Mary’s Bakery is a legendary landmark with a rich and profound history:
The year was 1968, when Mary Rogers of Stoney Ground, with the support of her family, opened Mary’s Bakery in a portion of the ground floor of that two-story building opposite the Madroka Lottery in The Quarter. Then, the novelty of Mary’s Bakery quickly attracted the general public, and the outlet became the island’s main stopping station for bread, cakes, delicious tarts, and pastries.
However, the specialties of the house were delectable sandwiches – made of beef, cheese and tuna – crafted by Mary’s own hand. These were usually washed down by a drink of locally made beverage — Sun Crest bottle sodas, professionally made by Mary’s three oldest sons: Roy, Glenn and Rado.
The Mary’s bread-and-sodas tradition was a key delight for party and picnic lovers of the day. But, primarily, Mary supported numerous homes with her lovely, tasty delights, and many times she would freely supply schoolchildren with a lunchtime sandwich, which would be a sure meal even if they lacked the money to pay for it. The kindness of her heart compelled her to be that benevolent.
Over the years, the site of the bakery had moved to the location where it stands now, and even after Mary’s passing on June 12th, 2000, the tradition of kindness, and excellent quality bread, still continues to attract the bakery’s valued customers.
During her welcome address at the long-awaited opening ceremony on Tuesday, a granddaughter of Mary, Mrs. Shellya Rogers-Webster, said: “On behalf of the Rogers family, I would like to welcome everyone here this morning. It has been quite a while that the renovations have been on going, and we would like to thank our valued customers for their patience during this period. Quite a bit of work has gone into what we present today, so we thank you once again for bearing with us.”
The master-mind behind the renovation work was a grandson of Mary, Mr. Sheldon Rogers, who has walked in the footsteps of his father, the late Leroy “Roy” Rogers. Roy was an architect and builder and, even prior to his passing, he had the desire to see the building upgraded to a higher level of design with more safety and aesthetical features.
Speaking about such a desire, Mary’s first daughter, Cheryl, had this to say at Tuesday’s reopening: “After our mother passed, the children continued her legacy. Each one of us determined to do our part in keeping her dream alive. Roy had a great urge to see this building remodeled.
“When he passed, I felt that we had lost the key person for keeping the structure of this building intact. But Roy’s son, Sheldon Leroy Rogers, has brought Roy’s dream alive. In fact, Roy did say that it is the young people who have to carry on the legend and maintain the upkeep. And so today, we are here to witness the beautiful work of Sheldon’s creative ideas for this edifice.”
Mary’s Bakery now carries an entrance door on the west side of the building and an exit door on the south, the area at which the original door once stood. Both doors are sensory, and open and close automatically. Now, when customers order their sandwich, they can instantly see it being prepared before their eyes – Subway style – and can choose from a variety of salads and toppings on display.
In her closing remarks, Cheryl noted: “I trust that Anguilla will continue to support Mary’s Bakery. Mary believed in the community and extended a kind hand to all. Many persons have told me how Mary never allowed them to pass lunchtime hungry. She would always provide them with a sandwich and a drink. And even though they were not always able to pay her, the bakery has received all the blessings. I thank you all!”
– Staff Reporter, James R. Harrigan
