Staff Writer
HOULTON — Sadie’s Bakery isn’t hard to find — even if you’re new to town.
All you have to do is follow your nose. 
Tim O’Donnell works on a batch of Sadie’s signature product, their homemade doughnuts, while his wife Sharon looks on. The O’Donnells have owned the bakery for close to 30 years and their doughnut recipe dates back 60 years to the shop’s original owner, Sadie Hand.
The mouth-watering aroma of their freshly-baked doughnuts routinely drifts through the downtown air, drawing in early-morning customers to the Water Street shop.
“Some people who are new in town walk clear around the block to find this smell,” says Tim O’Donnell, who owns and operates Sadie’s Bakery with his wife Sharon.
The Hodgdon couple purchased Sadie’s almost 30 years ago, but the business itself dates back to 1948.
Sixty years ago this year, Sadie Hand opened the shop on Military Street. Hand later moved the doughnut and pastry business downtown to the Dunn Block and eventually to its current location on Water Street.
“It’s been here [on Water Street] for at least 40 years,” says Sharon.
Mildred Oliver owned the shop for about 11 years before the O’Donnells purchased it in 1978.
“I was working at Ivey’s [Restaurant] at the time, and Harold Cassidy (Mildred’s son-in-law) came up and said, ‘You ought to go see Mildred. She wants to sell her business.’,” explained Tim. “At the time, I was working split shift, really early in the morning and then again late at night. We had two small kids, and it seemed like a good chance for us to be normal.”
Running their own bakery was a change, but it’s one the couple seems to have taken in stride. Sharon handled their bookkeeping and Tim, who had gone to school for food service, started in the kitchen.
Sharon and Tim O’Donnell, owners of Sadie’s Bakery, pause for a snapshot at their Water Street business. Sixty years ago this year, Sadie’s started on Military Street in Houlton.
“It was a total switch for me,” he said. “When you worked in a restaurant like Henry [Ivey’s] you didn’t do too many pastries. … But Mildred stayed with us for a couple years part-time.”
Even though their doughnut recipe has remained unchanged for the past 60 years, other elements at Sadie’s Bakery have been tweaked over time.
“We used to do a lot of cooking for restaurants when we started. That was almost all Mildred did,” explained Sharon. “But we do very little of that now.”
Now, most of their business is walk-in business, especially from different working crews around town; they also do special occasion orders.
And, through the years, the couple said they’ve adapted to the business to fit their interest in farming and to spend time with their children.
“It was great, especially when our kids were little,” explained Tim. “If they had a ballgame at 10, the door was locked at 9:30 and we were gone. We got to go to everything our kids were involved in and that made it really nice. One of the greatest things about being in business for yourself is that you didn’t have to miss those times.”
“The flexibility of it is nice,” agreed Sharon.
They also haven’t been afraid to add new items — like fried dough during Midnight Madness.
“We just do it that once,” he said. “And that night’s always jam packed. It’s unbelievable.”
But even fried dough doesn’t outshine their top seller — the homemade doughnuts. In a variety of flavors, with sugar or plain, their doughnuts are a must-have.
“Our doughnuts are the most popular,” said Sharon. “We can stay busy with just the doughnuts.”
“Molasses [doughnuts] are a big one. Not everyone likes the molasses, but the ones that like ‘em, really like ‘em,” adds Tim.
They don’t have any estimates on just how many of Sadie’s doughnuts are eaten every year, but here’s one indication: Tim recently retired his long-time doughnut cutter.
“It’s made from steel, but it had cut so many doughnuts it just wore out,” he adds with a smile.
All in all, the couple said they’ve enjoyed their years in business.
“The business has been good to us,” said Sharon. “We don’t regret it.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 30 years. It’s really hard to believe,” added Tim. “We’ve been very fortunate to be one of the small business owners who got into business 30 years ago and have been able to stay in business. Not too many get that luxury.”
Over that time, the O’Donnells credit their customers for both keeping the shop in business and for making their work enjoyable.
“We’ve got really great customers — loyal, great customers,” said Tim. “They’re just wonderful people.”
Sadie’s Bakery, located on Water Street in Houlton, is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon.
