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Sixty-five years of treats and customer service, at Dutch Treats (4 photos)

The dutch store, this year celebrating 65 years in business, is a "an icon," said BWG Councillor Gary Baynes

It was 65 years ago, in 1954, that the Dutch Store first opened in Bradford, at the corner of Simcoe Road and Holland St. East – largely catering to a growing immigrant population from the Netherlands, who arrived to make Bradford and the Holland Marsh their home.

“I can remember in Grade 9, it would be something to come down to Dutch Treats for the licorice,” said BWG Mayor Rob Keffer.

Over the years, the name changed – Medendorp’s Delicatessen, D’Olde Stee, and finally, Dutch Treats.

“This is Bradford. This is nostalgia right here. I used to come here with my dad,” said Dave DeBartolo, of the Bradford Board of Trade.

Both the mayor and DeBartolo were at Dutch Treats on Saturday, to congratulate current store owners Rob and Tina Bots on the store’s 65 years of continuous service to the community.

The Bots have owned Dutch Treats for the past four years – taking over from former owners, Cor and Louise DenBleker, as only the fifth owners of the deli and gift shop in over six decades.

The store has always offered a delicatessen, featuring Western European cheeses and meats, and prepared delicacies that today include oliebollen (fried donuts), poffertjes (tiny pancakes dusted with icing sugar) and croquettes. 

The shelves are filled with chocolates, cookies and other food products from the Netherlands; English and Belgian candies; loose leaf teas; giftware from Holland, the U.K. and Canada - while Oma’s Kitchen café and lunch room offers a selection of soups, deli sandwiches, and pannenkoeken (Dutch pancake crepes) from Tuesday to Saturday.

It’s not only the selection that draws customers from across Ontario, but the friendly customer service provided by the Bots.

“We had a customer come in from Sudbury recently – they come in twice a year,” said Tina. “Somebody came from Winnipeg this summer.”

Most of their customers come up from Toronto, for the array of hard-to-find groceries, treats and deli items that Dutch Treats keeps in stock.

Recently added to the inventory: new Dutch T-shirts, German and Polish products and groceries, and “Black gouda – it’s lemon-flavoured Gouda,” explained Tina. "The lemon turns it black."

Mayor Keffer and members of council were at the store on Oct. 19 to congratulate the Bots on maintaining the tradition, and “being a fixture in the Town of BWG,” said Keffer, but also to do a little shopping of their own.

“Sixty-five years is a long time, but when you walk in and see all the amazing items here – no wonder!” said Ryan Charron, with the Bradford Board of Trade.

Dutch Treats - Your European Market is located at 15 Holland St. East; for information call 905-775-6763 or click here.

The store is already preparing for the coming Holiday Season, and now has the chocolate letters – every letter of the alphabet – that are a Christmas tradition in the Dutch community.

“We have all the letters right now, in the milk, dark and white chocolate,” said Tina, noting that the most “popular” letters are likely to sell out early. “We had to order the letters in January.”

Dutch Treats will also be welcoming Sinterklaas – St. Nicholas - on Nov. 30. The good Bishop will be at the store in full regalia from 1 to 3 p.m., to meet all the good little boys and girls, and hand out treats.


Miriam King

About the Author: Miriam King

Miriam King is a journalist and photographer with Bradford Today, covering news and events in Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
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