Skip to content
NOWCAST NewsCenter 5 at 11
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Small businesses provide big flavor in Brimfield, Massachusetts

Apple Barn Café and Wake The Dead Donuts serve up fuel for antique shoppers

Small businesses provide big flavor in Brimfield, Massachusetts

Apple Barn Café and Wake The Dead Donuts serve up fuel for antique shoppers

FOUND SOME TASTY OPTIONS. NESTLED AMONG THE TENANTS AT BRIMFIELD IS A FAMILY-RUN RESTAURANT THAT KEEPS VENDORS COMING BACK. >> I LOVE SEEING THEM. AFTER THE WINTER, THEY START COMING IN FRIDAY. IT IS LIKE OLD HOMETOWN DAYS COMING IN AND SEEING THE PEOPLE. SHAYNA: SUZANNE COLLINS OWNS THE APPLE BARN CAFE WITH HER HUSBAND JOE. DAUGHTER’S ESSAY RUNNING THE SPOT HAS BEEN A TEAM EFFORT FROM DAY ONE. >> CORDELIA WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND WE WERE IN THE KITCHEN. HURRY UP, FASTER, FASTER. SHE GOES I’VE NEVER WORKED LIKE THIS BEFORE. SHAYNA: NICOLE’S FAMILY STARTED THE VENTURE WITH A HOT DOG CART SUZANNE HAD ALWAYS HOPED TO DO MORE. >> IT HAD BEEN A DREAM OF MINE TO HAVE A SOUP AND SANDWICH RESTAURANT. WE PURCHASED THIS AND WE DEVELOPED IT. SHAYNA: MOST OF THE YEAR, THE CAFE IS OPEN FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH BUT WHEN THE NT KURHS COME TO TOWN, THE CAFE IS OPEN ALL WEEK WITH EXTENDED HOURS. >> IT IS KINDA ALMOST LIKE A DIFFERENT RESTAURANT BECAUSE DURING ANTIQUE SHOW WEEK, IT IS COUNTER SERVICE. LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT MENU. >> WE ROAST OUR OWN TURKEYS PAIRED WE MAKE OUR OWN SOUP. WE MAKE OUR OWN POLAR PARK COULD WE HAVE A LOT OF -- WHEN MCGRONE PULLED PORK. I LOVE TREATING FOODS AND SERVING FOOD TO PEOPLE AND I DON’T CUT CORNERS. SHAYNA: JUST DOWN THE ROAD, A DESERT OPTION IS ALSO PRIORITIZING IMMEDIATE SATISFACTION. >> THEY ARE HOT, FRESH AND FUNKY. YOU GET THEM RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN WHEN THEY ARE NICE AND HOT AND HOLDEN AND CRISPY. SHAYNA: STEPHEN AND TIM ARE MAKING THEIR DEBUT AT BRIMFIELD WITH WAKE THE DEAD DONUTS. >> WE BOTH GOT LAID OFF MARCH 2020. WE ALL LOST OUR JOBS. OWNING OUR OWN FOOD TRUCK WAS SOMETHING WE WANTED TO DO. WE ARE NOT AT A FOOD TRUCK YET BUT WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE LAYOFF AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO START OUR OWN BUSINESS. SHAYNA: NOW THEY’RE MAKING MANY DONUTS IN SMALL BATCHES WITH THIS MACHINE SHOULD >> DEFINITELY OUR STEP -- OUR BESTSELLER IS OUR CINNAMON SUGAR DONUTS. WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL ABOUT OUR DONUT SUNDAYS WHICH ARE KIND OF LIKE ICE CREAM SUNDAYS BUT WITH DONUTS INSTEAD OF ICE CREAM. DONUTS, HOT FUDGE, WHIPPED CREAM. IT IS A BIG BOAT OF DELICIOUSNESS. SHAYNA: LIKE THE DEAD DONUTS IS BASED IN EAST HAMPTON AND THEY PLAN TO BE AT MORE FESTIVALS AND FAIRS THIS SUMMER. STEPHEN SAYS HE AND TIM ALWAYS LIKE TRYING OUT NEW DONUTS FROM DIFFERENT BAKERIES SO HE IS GOING INTO THE -- SO GOING INTO THE DONUT BUSINESS WAS AN EASY CHOICE FOR HIM. BACK TO THE APPLE BARN, RUNNING THE CAFE
Advertisement
Small businesses provide big flavor in Brimfield, Massachusetts

Apple Barn Café and Wake The Dead Donuts serve up fuel for antique shoppers

Nestled among the tents at the Brimfield Antiques markets is a family-run restaurant that keeps vendors coming back year after year. Suzanne and Joe Collins own the Apple Barn Café. Most of the year, the café is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for breakfast and lunch. When the antiquers come to town, the café is open all week with extended hours.Wake the Dead Donuts made its debut at the Brimfield antique markets in May 2022. Owners Steven Collicelli and Tim DeJaneiro make mini-donuts fresh to order for customers. The friends started the business after getting laid off in March 2020.

Nestled among the tents at the Brimfield Antiques markets is a family-run restaurant that keeps vendors coming back year after year. Suzanne and Joe Collins own the Apple Barn Café. Most of the year, the café is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for breakfast and lunch. When the antiquers come to town, the café is open all week with extended hours.

Wake the Dead Donuts made its debut at the Brimfield antique markets in May 2022. Owners Steven Collicelli and Tim DeJaneiro make mini-donuts fresh to order for customers. The friends started the business after getting laid off in March 2020.

Advertisement