Sister Bakers Take Sweets to Dunedin Green Market Streets

Sisters Kathy Gonja and Mary Oney-Hatt are beginning to become regulars on the downtown Dunedin Green Market scene.

They are trying to capitalize on two crazes: baked good and food trucks.

The women once had a brick and mortar business (Sweet Ida Mae’s Bakery in Safety Harbor) up until a few months ago, until they began to realize they sold more cookies, cupcakes and breads at area markets than their shop.

So they did what any resourceful entrepreneurs would do — took the old bomb squad truck they bought in Cleveland and turned it into their primary place of business. 

“Everyone thought we were crazy when we brought the truck back,” Kathy Gonja, who came from Ohio to partner with her sister four years ago, said.

The sisters now travel to area fresh markets and food truck rallies selling their “old fashioned” baked goods, many of which were culled from the recipes of their beloved great-grandmother, Ida Mae. 

Their business's regular route is Safety Harbor Farmers' Market on Thursdays; the Dunedin Green Market in Pioneer Park on Fridays and Saturdays; and the Cross Roads Farmers' Market in Palm Harbor on Sundays. 

“We make cookies, cupcakes, cannolis, brownies and breads,” Hatt said. “Pretty much everything except cakes.” 

Although the storefront offered them some stability and a home base to bake from, the siblings don’t regret making their business a mobile one.

In fact, their business motto is 'takin' sweets to the streets'.

“I was a positive result of the food truck rallies,”Gonja said. “You can’t beat the exposure.” 

For more information on Sweet Ida Mae's Bakery, visit them on Facebook.

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