FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) – Warner’s Bakery in downtown Franklin is continuing to flourish.
Warner’s Bakery has been a Titusville staple since 1949 when Ellsworth Warner first opened his doors.
When Mr. Warner was ready to retire 50 years later, he passed the company to his daughter. She later sold it to some of her employees, and eventually, the business fell into bankruptcy and was purchased by Kathy and Larry Licht. In 2011, they re-opened the bakery to the delight of locals, using the same recipes that Mr. Warner perfected over his more than 50-year career.
A worker puts the final touches on a signature Smiley Cookie. Photo by Gavin Fish.
Even if you’ve never been to Warner’s Bakery or purchased one of their treats, if you’ve lived in Western Pennsylvania for very long, you’ve been the beneficiary of Mr. Warner’s culinary talents. The “Smiley Cookie” that you see, and probably eat, at every Eat ‘N Park is a homage to Mr. Warner’s original cookie, according to SmileyCookie.com. Warner’s Bakery continues to make Mr. Warner’s signature sugar cookie in the original building where the treat was first invented.
When you’re in Franklin, you don’t have to drive all the way to Titusville to find their infamous breads and goodies. All you have to do is head downtown to the Liberty Vault Building and walk down the hall. If you enter from Liberty Street, Warner’s Franklin location is ahead on the left.
Inside Warner’s Bakery in the Liberty Vault Building. Photo by Gavin Fish.
“My son Nathaniel came over to Franklin first and he did Taste of Talent. He participated for a couple of years and then he won. He said, ‘Mom, you should open a place over here, people would love it, it would be great!’” Kathy Licht said. “It’s been very well-received, but sometimes it’s hard to keep things in stock.”
Warner’s Bakery also has a seasonal location in the Market Village in Tionesta and is continuing its growth with a restaurant that will serve sandwiches and soups at 115 North Franklin Street in Titusville.
If you plan on heading to the bakery, don’t doddle. The Franklin store is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; until 6:00 p.m. on Friday; and until 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Things tend to sell out quickly.
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