Take Out Faves: Morat's Bake Shop

Photo and article by Donna Iverson

The staff at N3 World Headquarters have missed our occasional travels to our metro neighbor to the west. While loving our local dining establishments, Muskegon is also home to some favored fooderies we want to see survive these troubled times.
Our Hands in the Dirt gardening columnist Ms. Iverson responded to our request for Take Out Favorites with this missive on Morat’s, a gem of a bakery if there ever was one.

If you want a place to indulge your taste buds ....a pastry from Morat's Bake Shop at 820 Terrace Street in Muskegon is worth the trip.

A peek inside reveals shelf-loads full of biscotti, scones, muffins, and every kind of donut your heart can desire.  Most customers find it hard to buy just one. The bakers also specialize in homemade bread which is cooked on site, including rye, multi-grain, English Muffin, and a bread made from a local brewery's spent grain. Other products for sale are cakes, pies, honey, soups, and store-ground oatmeal. A hot cup of steaming coffee is also available for purchase.

While you can step inside and purchase as many donuts as you can carry, you can also order online and pick up at their drive-up window. The bakery workers pay careful attention to safety wearing both gloves and masks.

Co-owners are Carolee Morat and Dan Castle who opened the bakery on Terrace Street in the summer of 2018. The previous summer they had sold baked goods from a rented chalet in the newly-opened Western Market in Muskegon.  The baked goods sold out every day and so they decided to open their own store near the Farmers Market. Today they are both a retail and wholesale bakery. Before the pandemic, they sold to restaurants and schools, but that part of their business has ground to a near halt.

But you shouldn't bet against them. Morat's bakery has a long history in Michigan. Back in the 1920s, Caroliee's great great grandfather, Frank Sherman immigrated from Vienna and opened bakeries in Chicago, Hart, and Reed City. By the 1960s, the Morats owned bakeries in Whitehall, Mears and New Era.

History aside, one bite into one of their donuts will make your day. In addition to ordering online at http://moratsbakeshop.com , you can call to order at 231.722.0202. They are open 7am to 5 pm Tuesday- Saturday.


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