Crystal Bakery

The Crystal Bakery was opened in October of 1930 by two brothers, “Slim” Mah and Mah Shean.  
The bakery closed in 1964, the building was demolished in 1986.
The Crystal Bakery was opened in October of 1930 by two brothers, “Slim” Mah and Mah Shean.
The bakery closed in 1964, the building was demolished in 1986.

The Crystal Bakery Supplies Large Area

The Crystal Bakery Supplies Large Area The Crystal Bakery Supplies Large Area

Shaunavon Standard, April 10, 1940

Rain or shine, winter or summer, Shaunavon’s only bakery, the Crystal, is a busy place, producing “the staff of life”. Under the management of “Slim” Mah, a resident of Shaunavon for the past dozen years, a number of men are engaged in the many operations required to manufacture bread, cakes and pasteries of all kinds.

During the winter the Crystal’s modern equipment turns out an average of 500 loaves per day. When the days lengthen and temperatures mount, the reluctance of housewives to bake their own bread is reflected in the increased demand for the product. In hot weather the daily output of the bakery rises to an average of 700 and more loaves per day.

Capacity of the steam-heated oven is 210 loaves at a time and the bread is baked at a temperature of 350 degrees F. Alongside the oven is a warming oven where the bread rises and in a separate room are the cooling racks where the product cools for market. An average of 400 lbs. flour per day or 300 sacks per week is used. Bread is baked six days per week, the idle day being Saturday since there are no trains on Sunday. Modern, electric machinery is used for mixing, etc.

Bread from the Crystal is shipped as far east as Meyronne and Assiniboia, west as fare as Senate and Manyberries and all intermediate points, as well as to towns on the south line.

Hot Cross Buns for Shaunavon

Hot Cross Buns for Shaunavon Hot Cross Buns for Shaunavon

Shaunavon Standard, April 14, 1943

Some parts of the province may not have the traditional Hot Cross Buns for Easter this year but local residents will not have to forego this delicacy, according to “Slim” of Shaunavon’s Crystal Bakery.

Bakeries in many cities have declared there will be no Hot Cross Buns this year because of wartime restrictions and shortages. Those shortages are a bugbear to the Crystal too. Slim stated he had bought all the mixed peel he could get for the purpose.

Sugar rationing, inability to secure more jelly for the much-demanded jelly rolls, are some of the commercial baker’s problems. However, the Crystal is a busy industry turning out its 1,000 loaves of bread a day – some days more, others less, and sending the staff of life to man neighboring communities.

Pictured are owners of the Crystal Bakery - Danny Mah on the right. Can you help us to identify the man to the left?

Picking Bottles for Cream Puffs

Picking Bottles for Cream Puffs

Story told by Jim Hardin

When I was young, my buddies and I would go around town looking for bottles every week so we could buy a cream puff from the Crystal Bakery on Saturday. We would take the bottles to Dad’s store, Hardin’s Groceteria, and Dad would pay us 1cent a bottle. We would find five bottles each to buy a 5 cent cream puff at the Bakery.

Visit the Crystal Bakery exhibit at the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre Museum. The exhibit features a selection of equipment, tools and custom printed packaging that were once used at the bakery.
Visit the Crystal Bakery exhibit at the Grand Coteau Heritage & Cultural Centre Museum. The exhibit features a selection of equipment, tools and custom printed packaging that were once used at the bakery.