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Lehighton Bakery Retires the Pershing Doughnut

LEHIGHTON — A different kind of retirement party was held in Carbon County on Sunday. The Lehighton Bakery said “goodbye” to its customers, an...

LEHIGHTON -- A different kind of retirement party was held in Carbon County on Sunday.

The Lehighton Bakery said "goodbye" to its customers, and with it goes one of its most popular treats.

Whether you call it the Pershing or the Persian, Sunday was the last day folks could get their hands on the delicious doughnut.

Several people packed into the bakery to get their hands on one of the delicious gooey rolls of goodness, what many people call, the greatest doughnut in the area.

The bakery has been selling the Pershing or Persian for the past 10 years, but the recipe has been passed along by another well-known bakery in Lehighton.

"That was the highlight of the day, to walk over to Young's Bakery and get your ice tea and your doughnut for the day. It's a part of Lehighton that's going to be gone," said Angela Staehle of Ashfield. "I'm bummed out. That's why I'm here, to make sure I got the last of them."

The tradition continued at the Lehighton Bakery. Friends and family packed in this weekend to make doughnuts for all those customers coming to get the very last ones.

After the doughnuts are deep fried, the cinnamon bun-like pastry is then covered with vanilla or chocolate icing and topped with cherry strawberry glaze.

On Sunday, the Persian doughnut, will be the last doughnut sold before the shop closes its doors for good.

"A lot of people are coming in and saying why are you closing. It's a lot of hard work, a lot of responsibility, and it's a lot of work to do this," said Barbara Walck of Lehighton.

That's what owner Bill Gothard said is one of the biggest factors. When Gothard's father  passed away, the business just wasn't the same.

He said he is honored and happy that his business had so much success for the past decade, and is sad to say goodbye, but ready for what the future will bring.

"I thank the people of the area, the patronage of the customers that come in every day, and I thank the Schnell's for teaching me how to do what I did today. It's a legacy I'll look back on with my parents, something I'll look back years from now," said Gothard.

The owner said they made 8,000 Pershing doughnuts the entire weekend for all of their loyal customers .

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