First Note: This post was scheduled for yesterday, Friday July 20. When I woke up and saw the news surrounding the tragic events in Colorado, I pulled the piece. Given the carnage that law enforcement, trauma centers, and families were dealing with, it seemed highly inappropriate. I’m not sure today is really better, but when I re-read this post, I saw that it celebrated law enforcement, family, and hope – so I published it today. I hope you read it in that spirit.
Second Note: Please, please, please – if you are a member of the law enforcement community – do not attack me for mentioning your chosen profession and baked goods in the same breath. I love cops. I was once madly (and sadly – he was not good for me) in love with a policeman. He was guilty of felony heartbreak. I admire and support the brave men and women who serve their communities in that career. I do love doughnuts (also, sadly – they are not good for me) although our relationship has lasted considerably longer than the one with the cop. They are always there for me (as in by my side, on my hips, in my arteries).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Michigan, especially in the summer time, is a very lovely place. While its economy may be struggling, and its population dwindling, its citizens are resourceful, resilient, and stalwart. If you need reasons to enjoy a Michigan adventure, check out this post by Pithypants, as well as this post.
On a recent visit to Michigan, I met the lovely Peg-o-Leg. It was determined during that brief interlude, somehow, that calories consumed in Michigan do not count. I believe the precise formula is something like this “Expenditures made to support the economy result in the automatic removal of calories and saturated fat”. Or some such. I returned from my whirlwind trip over the 4th with a considerably lighter wallet and pants that would barely button. So perhaps that theory is slightly flawed. Whatever.
We spent a couple of days with all five grandchildren at our campground. On the trip to return them (sunburned and bug-bitten) to their parents – we stopped in Clare, Michigan, at the Cops and Doughnuts Bakery. This magical place is part museum, part bakery, part retail establishment and pure blood-glucose-raising fun.
When the century-old bakery was in within weeks of going under, the Clare police force (all 9 members) pooled their resources and purchased the enterprise. They opened Cops and Doughnuts Bakery in 2009 and business has been expanding as rapidly as the waistlines of the multitudes of tourists who flock there for the baked goods, but stay for the fun. Some of their merchandising slogans include” DWI (Doughnuts Were Involved), Cereal Killer, and Cuffed and Stuffed.
They have their own “Cops Coffee” brand of coffee, merchandise of every kind from coffee mugs to baby clothing, and have even opened the “Traffic Stop Diner” in their third expansion just this year. Menu items include “Stool Pigeon Sandwich” (chicken salad), “Sticky Situation Sandwich” (peanut butter, shredded carrots, sunflower nuts, raisins and honey), “Misdemeanor Weiner” and “Undercover Misdemeanor Weiner” (coney style), and “Grounds for Investigation Sandwich” (ground bologna) – as well as “Electric Chair Fries” and “Cold Case Slaw”.
The business has been showcased in several national news features. They were designated one of Michigan’s “50 Businesses to Watch” in 2011. They now employ 28 employees (none are family members of the police-owners and in a small town like Clare, that is impressive) and are going to 24/7 operations this year.
The real draw, of the place, though is the bakery. The aroma hits you from the street – yeasty, cinnamon-y, delightful aroma. I did not get any good shots of the display rack as there were many, many people lined up its entire length and I was trying to corral 5 grandkids and one testy grandpa with low-blood sugar, but believe me when I say it is a feast for the eyes. Racks of freshly baked, handmade cinnamon and pecan rolls. Rows and rows of doughnuts, turnovers, and pastries of every size and shape. The cinnamon rolls and pecan rolls are roughly the size of a salad plate ($2.79) and are easily the best baked goods I have ever tasted (including my own).
I applaud the Clare Policemen who rescued this gem and their business acumen, as well as their ability to laugh at and with the stereotypes inherent in such a venture. It is a reminder that law enforcement does much more than lie in wait for me in speed traps serve and protect, they support their communities in a multitude of untold ways. I wish them continued and rampant success.
As proper grandparents, Sweet-Cheeks and I spoiled them and loaded them up with sugar prior to giving them back to their parents. I will leave you with these pictures – snapped during the feeding frenzy that punctuated a family adventure that included lots of hugs, a few tears, and sweetly-frosted memories…
Love this and the pictures. I think it just shows that LE protects us in more ways than one.
Indeed, sometimes in very tasty ways…
Great post Katy, and not at all inappropriate. I’d love to stop there some time. I’ve never been to Michigan.
What? Maybe I should organize a blogger’s retreat there next summer…
There are people who are genuinely interested in bettering their communities and there are people who are not. The fact that the people in this instance were police officers is all the more inspiring. Even in small towns, police often have to deal with some of the least positive aspects of the communities they serve. It’s easy to imagine that in their position they might be soured on the town and its population, but these cops clearly were not.
I understand your reluctance to post this given, the horrific event of the Thursday night, but in my view, this post was entirely positive, and of course, liberally peppered with humor.
Thanks – I prefer to think of it as liberally “sprinkled” with humor…
I can’t think of a single witty thing to type that uses the word “glazed” so i’ll just shut up.
I thought you would “rise” to the occasion…
Damn girl! You’re on fire!
I guess I should switch my writing time to in the morning – this after work plan isn’t working out – my eyes are glazed over by then…
OK…Ready?!…”there’s no holes in that logic”
Ha! Good one, Dave. I think I’ll “turnover” the bakery humor to you now.
NO WAY!! I couldn’t Bear Claw-ing my way through all that silliness.
It’s a cream-puff assignment…
…besides, it’s obvious that you take the cake in this venue!
You’re sweet-talkin’ me, now…
I feel a diabetic coma coming on…
You’re right – we’ve really been on a roll
you aint seen muffin yet
I can’t top that…
Let’s call a truce, before I need to put on stretch pants.
Okay, I’ll popover to Freshly Pressed and see if there isn’t someone I can harass…
I feel bad for all the pun-sters who slept in today and won’t have anything original left to say. The early bird gets the warm danish.
They need to wake up and smell the coffee…They’ll show up when we yeast expect them…
Sadly, there will be nothing left but crumbs. On the bright side, your post has already merited 150 comments (75 from me, 75 from you).
I guess should get my buns off here and go run a few errands…
Gotta do errands! At least at this time of the year you don’t have to worry about the roads icing up.
It’s like an oven out there…
Use sunblock – unless you want to be as brown as a biscuit
I can’t come up with a good re-torte!!! Put a fork in me, I’m done…
I think we can both breathe a little yeastier, now that it’s over.
Wait, wait…I’m getting a second wind…we can add a whole ‘nuther layer.
Unless you don’t want to fritter away your afternoon.
If only one of us was ok with knot having the last word.
I can’t believe that came out of your pie-hole…
I’ve been known for dropping a few bon bon mots.
That really frosts me…
Sorry…didn’t mean to be shortening with you…I’m sure you’re used to me buttering you up. Maybe I can make up for it if I bring you some flours.
Oh, thank you, sweet-tart.
Sorry I got you all frost, but you need to relax – don’t get your panties all in a bundt.
If I cannoli make you see how important it is to me to have the last word…
Don’t worry, you’ve made your point. I read you, loud and eclair.
I don’t like to mince words, Dave.
I realize that. I know you’re not lying about the last word, everything you write is streudel.
If only this witty banter could make us some dough…
Money or not, I hope you know that I’m a loyal follower of everything you write – I’ll never dessert you!!
That means a lot to me coming from a crusty old guy like you.
It touched my heart that you typed such sweet words with your lady fingers.
You’re quite the softie – I’d always thought you were one tough cookie…
I’m not as tough as most people think. In fact, I’m feeling weak from all this wordplay. I’m asking you on beignet’ed knee – can’t we cease this nonsense before it’s too late?
Well, it is putting a crimp in my getting lesson plans finished…
I don’t know if a “crimp” is some kind of specialty cookie, but I’m going to go ahead and assume it is. I hereby surrender. I don’t have a white flag to wave, so I’ll use this sheet cake.
No, Dave…crimp is what you do to the edge of the pie crust.
Lattice (another crust type) call it quits, then?
You win! It was a lot of fondant!
Yes, I’ll leave as soon as I find my car quiche…
OK…drive carefully, you dont want to dricve into a ditch and end upside down, Kate
Yes, that would be a half-baked plan.
Seriously, really, no more!! I’m going to get back to drawing my illustration for the lust piece. As a favor, please remind me to never try to draw water again. It’s making sketching a human thumb look fun!
Okay – thanks for playing along. I do need to get busy, as well.
i thought I would be a smart-ass and google pastry types, looking for a pun no one had used…well, all it did was make me hungry and I gained 3 pounds just looking at the pictures.
Great piece, I love happy endings.
I gained weight just walking into that bakery…Their business is growing like gang-busters…
Nothing mocking here at all. If anything – as you mention – it’s talking about how they’ve turned a pretty tired cliche in to something fun and laughing at themselves.
Some law enforcement types are pretty sensitive about this topic, I was thrilled to see their tongue-in-cheek approach to what is turning into a pretty lucrative venture.
YUM! Now I’m sad I didn’t go to Clare while I was home. Also, I love that Sweet Cheeks is sporting an MSU shirt!
That is a staple of his wardrobe…Swing into Clare next time you get home. I still think of Michigan as home, probably always will.
Okay, now I am craving a chocolate doughnut with jimmies on top. Do you call them jimmies or is that a McCartan thing?
My, I’ve never heard them called that. I don’t care for them, but my grandkids always want the “sprinkles”.
Sprinkles makes more sense. Now I am sure it is a family nickname!
String Bean seems to have the mug shot pose down. Those kids are adorable! Well, so is Sweet Cheeks….
I would love to visit this place, but I cannot think of any excuse I could use to go to Michigan right now. It would seem a bit lame to visit ONLY to go to a cop-run bakery. Well, maybe not so lame!
Not lame at all…
Please publish the HILARIOUS dialogue between you and 1Point. You guys were on a roll. Wow. That was entertainment at its best.
Oh, and this post was deliciously wonderful, too. Your grandkids are beautiful, Katy.
Thanks for the compliments on the grandkids. To me, they are truly beautiful. I miss them so much. When we have all five at once it can be a bit of a handful – but they are well behaved and polite children. We are expecting another grandson in September – so we’ll be going back to diaper bags and pacifiers again…
That Dave is such a fun guy…he kept one-upping me and I just couldn’t let that happen on my own blog. I think it is a good thing there isn’t a chat room on WordPress or I would NEVER get anything done.
I agree with Lenore – that chatter should be published as a separate post. You are both so very witty – I am surprised that Carl (http://carldagostino.wordpress.com/2012/07/21/) hasn’t joined in the fray. He has a certain way with words too.
Wonderful post, not at all inappropriate. Loved the pictures and the story. Thank you for sharing this and showing us some brightness in an otherwise unbelievably sad day.
It is an unbelievably sad day – senseless, horrific tragedy.Thanks for stopping by.
Loved all the photos of your sweet grandkids, they are adorable! I’ll have to mention this place to Jim, maybe we can stop by there the next time we head out to Michigan.
And, thank you for the hilarious post hijack with Dave. 😀
Wait…you go to Michigan? Without me? Let me know when you are going next – maybe I’ll be there or can arrange a quick trip. I know Peg knows her way to Michigan, as well. There’s a Wendy’s there she likes…
Well…I’m not sure it’ll happen for a long long time. If ever. His family is from Dearborn Heights and we go to reunions there every 10 years or so. I think I’d rather just meet up with you two in Maine. Or NYC with Jules. (I’ve never been there!)
Maine sounds lovely – as does meeting Jules in NYC. I’ve never been to either place. I am sure Maine is lovely in the fall…
Fall is my favorite time of year and in Maine the trees are stunning. Plus we could go apple-picking…I could make you one of my famous apple pies…we could carve pumpkins…go on a hayride…drink pumpkin ale on the hayride…
Oh, lordy, that sounds so fun…Let’s do it.
Just got an e-mail from the Cops & Doughnuts folks. They linked my blog on their Facebook page. Maybe this will get me out of a speeding ticket or two…
https://www.facebook.com/CopsDoughnutsClareCityBakery#!/CopsDoughnutsClareCityBakery
That’s got to be good for at least two tickets.
Katy, I loved this! It might be one of the coolest stories behind a shop I’ve ever heard of. And the mugshots are priceless.
P.S. – I’ve officially begun a SIXTH draft for your Lust contest. I need to get ahold of myself. It’s a good thing the deadline is coming up.
Jules – they have a bacon topped Long John…see this blog:
http://michiganfoodies.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/cops-doughnuts-clare/
I had no idea or I might have tried one (for the protein, you know?)
I can see why they are popular. Love the names of the sandwiches. Thanks for sharing this. Maybe you’ll get a gift card out of it. 🙂
Wait a minute – if I had known that Michigan calories stayed in Michigan, I would have had a heck of a lot more than an iced tea!
Your grand-kids are just adorable, and you did your duty in getting them all sugared up for their parents.
What a great place! I’m going to forward this to my sister so she can get over there and try their wares – what do you recommend?
I have only ever had the pecan roll (I am a creature of habit – even bad ones). They are perfect and sure to induce a sugar-coma that even a cup of their good, strong jail-house coffee can’t conquer…
I really need to go to Michigan…soon.
I’ll meet you there…
What a cool idea! I wonder if they’re franchising.
27 years on my department and I have never, ever eaten a donut at work. I really want one though.
And certainly not a pumpkin doughnut, I am sure.
I think I read somewhere (website, literature, hallucination, something) that they were going to do some franchises.
OmGoooooooosh,
this is fabulous.
I LOVE your grandkids! Adorable & BRILLIANNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! obviously, just like their Nana!! Xxxx
Obviously…let’s hope this is the only mugshot I ever see of them. They are such fun.
I’d like to visit here.
This, btw, I loved: He was guilty of felony heartbreak.
Oh, wait. I didn’t love that he broke your heart. I loved that you expressed it that way.
I knew what you meant…I survived the heartbreak and went on to marry my Sweet Cheeks.
I love a happily-ever-after.
Except in his case, of course. I wished upon him multiple ex-wives. Whadyaknow? It happened!!
Clever, no?
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What a great post and the ensuing “pun-a-thon” you and 1Point created. Sorry I missed this when it came out. I’ve read your blog a number of times but I’m finally going to subscribe!
I’ve been to the Cops and Doughnuts shop in Clare – I live about 45 min from there. It really is a great concept and the business creators have continued to expand the fun for profit! That’s 28 more jobs that didn’t exist before. I’ll have to take Peg there next time she comes to Michigan!
Well, Miss T-berry. Nice of you to pop in. The Cops & Doughnuts bakery is a real gem…and the pastries – yummy. It’s a good thing I can’t go there often. You must take Peg-o-leg there…she is wasting away!!!