LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Plehn’s Bakery in the St. Matthews area of Louisville has been in operation for over one hundred years and has no plans of stopping soon.
Even over a century after first opening, patrons at Plehn’s Bakery on Shelbyville Road still pick the tight packed family-owned business over the big box stores.
“Now you get your tickets for the raffle, let me hand that to you,” said Donna Bowling, a former owner and current employee of Plehn’s Bakery, as she served customers.
Customers are greeted with a smile and service that is as memorable as the pastries and cakes that line the walls and display cases.
“People are just wanting to be a part of it. That’s what’s been so fun,” Bowling said of the dozens of customers who’ve come by to enjoy a week-long celebration of their century of service.
Founder Kuno Plehn moved the business from downtown to what was considered the countryside back then, two years after opening in 1922.
“At $0.35 an hour, I couldn’t convince myself that this was where I was going to stay. But by the time I jumped up to $0.75 an hour, yes, I liked it,” Bowling recalled.
Bowling began working at the bakery at 14 years old when her parents owned a portion of the business. Years later, she would take on their stake before passing it down to her son.
Today, Bowling’s son and three other family members run the bakery, including Jennifer Brownlee, a fourth-generation owner who, after a career as a chemical engineer, took on the reins of the family business.
“It’s just always felt like even when I was doing other things, this was always something I loved and something I wanted to do,” Brownlee said.
The dream of Kuno, a German immigrant who was told he wouldn’t succeed in relocating this bakery away from downtown, has stood the test of time.
“When my son bought my share, he knew that it was going to be a tough road ahead. But he’s stuck with it, and he’s doing well. I’m very proud of him,” Bowling said.
Along with pastries and baked goods, Plehn’s also sells ice cream and deli sandwiches. The current owners say they plan on staying in the same location they’ve called home for the last 100 years.