Business History Month: IdziBitsy Bakery
IdziBitsy Bakery is a hometown, “Hopkins County owned, Hopkins County grown” custom bakery in downtown Sulphur Springs, Texas owned by Michelle Idzi.
Michelle Idzi’s great great uncle owned a bakery in Louisiana and when he decided to retire in the early 1980s, her grandmother then bought the business deeming her grandmother a second generation baker. While Michelle’s mom was in school full-time her youngest aunt, who was also employed at the bakery, watched Michelle and her sister there. The girls spent days after school and all summer at the bakery. To keep the girls busy their aunt would have them fold boxes for a nickel each. At the age of 8, Michelle took her first cake decorating class, Wilton Decorating I. She was one of eight people in the class and made the cake for her dance recital.
Originally, Michelle Idzi had plans of being an accountant and sitting for her CPA. She then had children and began looking for a bakery who could make a cake to fit the personality of her first daughter on her first birthday. She quickly realized no custom bakeries existed where she lived and baked the cake herself. She fell back in love with baking all over again. Upon moving back to Texas Michelle’s mother, who also grew up in the bakery, wanted to open up a bakery with her daughter. Their dream soon took flight and they began baking in December of 2012 in Brashear, Tx. With the last custom bakery existing in the 1960s, the people of Sulphur Springs were slightly skeptical. The two women made cakes, sold them, and kept putting the money back into their business. When Michelle’s mother began having health issues in 2013, Michelle moved the bakery to it’s current location at 209 Main Street.
Michelle always liked the building itself, but once she met the people who were originally in it and heard the history of the building she fell in love. The front of the building was home to a burger joint and a barber shop. When you look at the ceiling you can tell how the building was originally divided for the two businesses. Up until the bakery moved in and the landlord finished the building, the very back was still prepped for a livery barn.
IdziBitsy Bakery is a community grown business without the community, the people of Sulphur Springs, the bakery couldn’t be where it is today. IdziBitsy serves 16 ISD’s with donations, and strives to be involved with the community in every way possible. “One of my favorite things in this business is seeing the expressions of people when you bring out their cake. You’re making, whether it’s a birthday, wedding, baby shower, gender reveal, you’re becoming a part of a moment in somebody’s life. Life isn’t made up of days or weeks, it’s moments, and in this business we get to be in those moments. We’ve been apart of everything; from an engagement, to their weddings, and their children’s first birthday cakes. Just milestones in people’s lives. We want to stress to the public that we are not just a grab n’ go business. We care about our customers and want to make their moments special,” says Michelle Idzi.
IdziBitsy Bakery is a completely family owned and operated business. Every member of the family is involved in every decision that is made, from the hours of the bakery, to their work load, or even the ingredients that are chosen. “If I wouldn’t feed it to my children, I’m not going to put it on our menu. Any product we bring in, I do a lot of research. Just because they make things and it is sold online as a bakery product does not mean it’s ready for human consumption. We encourage people to come in and try our cake, because the difference is something you can taste,” said Michelle Idzi.
IdziBitsy Bakery can be contacted at 903-885-YUMM (9866) or [email protected] and are located at 209 Main Street.
South Sulphur River Flood Warning Continues Through Friday Morning
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has issued a Flood Warning until Friday morning or until the warning is cancelled for the South Sulphur River affecting Delta and Hopkins Counties. At 3:15 p.m. Thursday, the river stage was at 16.76 feet. Flood stage is 16 feet. A few rural roads will begin to flood when the stage is over 16 feet. Farm and ranch land adjacent to the river will also flood.
Minor flooding is occurring and is forecast. The river will continue to rise to 17 feet by Thursday evening and should fall below flood stage Thursday night. The river should remain at 15 to 16 feet in the next several days.
Do not drive cars through flooded areas. Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.
Hearts of Life Presents Diego for Adoption
Wednesday afternoon, Hearts of Life Animal Shelter gave Diego a quick trip to KSST Channel 18 Studios so that he could be presented to the community for adoption. Diego has had surgery to repair his jaw.
Lady Cats Delay District Game Until Monday
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo said Thursday that the Marshall district game originally planned for Lady Cat Park will now be played Monday afternoon in Marshall. A JV game is set for 1 p.m. with the Varsity game to follow at 2:30 p.m. Both schools have spring break next week.
Coach Carrillo said Marshall’s field is currently covered with a tarp. He said if rain ended over the weekend, it wouldn’t have the field long to be ready once the tarp is removed. Lady Cat Park is supersaturated with water after several days of rain. Coach Carrillo said he would start to think about the scheduled Tuesday night home game with Texas High on Friday. He said he might end up moving that game to Texarkana if Lady Cat Park can’t be made playable in time. He added the game could be kept here but moved to Wednesday or Thursday.
Although the Lady Cats will be on spring break next week, Texas High will be in school after having spring break this week. Coach Carrillo said whatever happened with the weather this year is bound to be better than last year. He said last year was the worst weather experience he had ever had in his softball coaching career. In typical Coach Carrillo fashion, he said life sometimes throws you curve balls and you just do what you have to do.
Wildcats Open Season at Texas High Tuesday; No Tourney Due to Rain
For the second year in a row, the Texarkana baseball tournament has been rained out but things look different to Wildcats Coach Jerrod Hammack this year. Last year he had a senior-laden team that started district play off strongly despite losing the tournament games. This year’s team has only one returning starter and is loaded with underclassmen. Coach Hammack said he still had decisions to make and he could have used four more games in the tournament to help make them. He added perhaps he had seen enough however with practices, scrimmages and nine games so far. Coach Hammack said he was grateful to have the indoor facility to practice in. He noted that many schools do not have such a facility.
Wednesday Coach Hammack went looking for a turfed field where he might be able to squeeze in a game or two on Saturday. He found out that all those fields are in great demand right now.
Coach Hammack has now turned his attention to the district opener Tuesday night at Texas High. As usual Texas High’s top two pitchers are lefthanders. Wildcats’ practices will stress the proper approach to face lefthanders.
Bryant Sentenced to 15 Years; Oboyle to 5
Thursday morning, March 10, 2016, in Eighth Judicial District Court, Caleb James Bryant, 21, entered a guilty plea to engaging in organized crime and to retaliation. In the plea agreement, Brant also took responsibility for his activity in possession of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
On Monday, November 17, 2015, an undercover buy-bust created the necessity for the Special Crimes Unit to rush a house located at 734 I-30 East. An individual, an informant for law enforcement, was assaulted. The informant was assaulted and his communication devices including cell phone were taken from him by force. Four individuals, including Caleb James Bryant, 21 and Morgan Leigh Oboyle, 23, were arrested at that time. The Special Crimes Unit rescued the informant. The four were all charged with engaging in organized criminal activity.
O’Boyle recently received a five year sentence to TDCJ in a plea agreement.
Morgan Leigh Oboyle
Teen Arrested For Assault Of A Family Member
Clayton Ryan Hanson, 18, of Sulphur Springs was arrested on Tuesday, March 8th after being involved in a dispute that resulted in assault of a family member. Cumby Police Chief Paul Robertson responded to a call of an assault in Cumby that occurred early Tuesday afternoon.
Upon arrival, Hanson was found on the property located on the 300 block of Frisco Street in Cumby. Hanson was transported to the Hopkins County Memorial Hospital to be treated for injuries.
After further investigation, Hanson was placed in custody while at Memorial Hospital on a charge for Aggravated Assault of a Family Member with a Weapon. After receiving treatment, Hanson was transported to the Hopkins County Jail where he now sits on $50,000 bond.
Business History Month: Shoe Inn Etc.
The Shoe Inn began exactly where it is now: The Windsor Plaza. The Shoe Inn first opened it’s doors in February of 1986 as one of the first businesses in the plaza, offering the best location to be had in Sulphur Springs at that time. “Everything was new in our shopping center,” Owens said. “That created a lot of curiosity for people, and people just came to check us out and they’re still with us.”
The Shoe Inn first began as a store for shoes, jewelry, and handbags. Owens eventually began expanding her product base as it became necessary to both attract more business and to provide tuxedos for customers after other establishments closed their doors. “There were two businesses here that had tuxedos and they went out of business,” Owens said. “As they left, that’s when I came into the tuxedo business. It has been very good to us since then.”
One consistent customer-base has been students from both middle school and high school students looking for formal attire for special events. This customer-base has helped Owens spread the word about to business all over the county. “I advertised in the Cats’ Tale, spread it by word-of-mouth, and always had a high school girl working here that would generate the news to the students,” Owens said. “I did a lot of advertising for it, and then it just kind of boomed.”
Rather than simply ordering tuxedos online and handing them off to the customer, Owens had made her business personalized by working with the customer to deliver a tuxedo that is a perfect fit.
“One of the things that makes our business — the tuxedo business — what it is, is that we measure you, and then you take the books and choose what you want,” Owens said. “That is then called in and the measurements are computerized, so that determines the size of suit you need. When it comes in, we want you to try it on for us so we can critique it. If it needs a hem on a sleeve or pant leg, we take care of that right here. If it’s something that we can’t do, our company is very good at re-sending.”
The Shoe Inn also prides itself on its personality in shoes. With just as much variety and choice as their tuxedos and handbags, including wedding attire such as special tuxedos for men and wedding shoes for women, the Shoe Inn always tries to unite people with the perfect shoe for the perfect occasion. Shoe brands include: Cobb Hill, Aetrex, Ros Hammerson, Romika, Vionic, Naturalizer, Clarks, Taos, Trotters, Softwalk, Dansko, Wolry, Merrell, Alegria, Helle, Vaneli, Jamba, Sperrys for men and women, and more.
“If a shoe is a medium width, you have a 2A heel, so it’s going to fit your foot better,” Owens said. “If it’s a narrow width, it’s a 4A heel. That’s an art that’s just about lost. We really take pride in the quality of shoe that we buy. We have customers from Texarkana, Oklahoma, South Texas, Dallas and Fort Worth, so we draw from a big range of territory.”
For Owens, her employees play a major role in the success of the Shoe Inn. Owens and her employees help the customer be confident in their choice of product and try to solve any problems for them.
“The number one top priority is personal service,” Owens said.”When people choose a shoe, a tuxedo, a handbag, whatever it is, it’s with our touch as well. They pick out a shoe, we go get that shoe, we bring it to them, and we fit that shoe on their foot.If they want to see a certain handbag, we get that handbag and bring it to them and they critique it themselves.”
Exterior renovations have been done to the Shoe Inn, and interior work is planned for the foreseeable future. An interior decorator will be invited by Owens to help decide how to breathe new life into the Shoe Inn. Until then, Owens and the Shoe Inn continue to help the customers find the right look for the right occasion.
“We are here for the customers,” Owens said. “What we do, we do to please them. That’s what it’s been about for 30 years. The customer is always first, and — I hope — is always treated as I have wanted them to be.”
Open Monday – Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:50 p.m. and on Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call (903) 885-1053.
Wildcats Baseball, Lady Cats Softball Cancelled; Track Still a Go
softball
Rainfall has washed away all Wildcats baseball and Lady Cats softball action scheduled on Thursday and Friday. For the second year in a row, the Texas High baseball tournament in Texarkana has been cancelled due to rain. The Wildcats were supposed to play games there Thursday through Saturday. The Lady Cats home softball game against Marshall Friday evening has been postponed. They will try to reschedule the game for Monday if Lady Cat Park is dry enough. If not, the game may be moved to a nearby dry field.
The rain has also cancelled freshman baseball in a Lindale tournament Thursday through Saturday. The JV Blue Softball at Caddo Mills Thursday through Saturday has been cancelled. JV Gold Softball against Marshall scheduled to happen just prior to the varsity game has been postponed. Right now they are looking to reschedule it on Monday. JV baseball’s doublheader hosting North Lamar at Eagle Stadium at noon Saturday is still a go right now.
Wildcats and Lady Cats track at Aubrey for Thursday is still a go at last report.
Dixon Changes Plea to Guilty; Sentenced to 40 Years Without Parole
March 9, 2016 – Hunter James Dixon, 21, will serve 40 years without possibility of parole according to a plea agreement between Dixon and the District Attorney’s office.
Hunter James Dixon,
Wednesday morning in Eighth Judicial District Court the prosecution played a video of Hunter James Dixon’s interview with Hopkins County Sheriff’s Criminal Investigators. Investigator Dennis Findley was on the witness stand. Having begun the day’s court activities at 8:42 a.m., Judge Eddie Northcutt called for a recess exactly one hour and 30 minutes into the testimony. During the break, Dixon decided to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.
Judge Northcutt stated to the jury Wednesday afternoon that he does not usually receive a plea agreement when the trial has begun but counts this as a unique situation. Northcutt stated that the agreement reach would be 40 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with no opportunity of parole based on the age of the children and the fact that it was continuous sexual assault of a minor under 14. This First Degree Felony comes with a greater penalty due to changes in the law regarding the fact that the act was continuous. No restitution, no court cost or fine was assessed in the punishment.
In speaking to the jury before thanking them for their service and dismissing them, Northcutt pointed out that Dixon was 20-years, 9-months, and 2-days old when he walked into jail and would 60-years, 9-months, and 2-days old before leaving prison.
Tuesday, Assistant District Attorney Clay Harrison presented the jury the video of the Child Protective Services Forensic interview with the children who made an outcry that led to the arrest, indictment, and trial of Dixon.
Monday afternoon, Harrison had called as witnesses those whom he called key relationships to Dixon that were involved in the case. Harrison had diagrammed for the jury the relationships of Dixon to his sister, his parents, to the father of the children who made the outcry, and others.
