1915 – John Ryke, founder of Ryke's Bakery, came to America from the Netherlands by steamship working as a chef on the "Rotterdam". When he arrived, he went to work in the foundry at CWC. In order to earn extra money during the depression to support his six children, he started making four different kinds of butter cookies using an old family recipe out of his Muskegon kitchen. His children sold the cookies door-to-door. Soon they were so popular, he was able to leave his job at the foundry and open Ryke's Bakery on Larch Street in 1937.

1967 – Ryke’s Bakery moved to its current location on Terrace Street in the old Sanitary Dairy Building.

1967 – Within one year of moving the bakery operation into the Sanitary Dairy Building, John Ryke died leaving the Bakery in the capable hands of his son Henry and daughter Marie.

1981-82 - Marie retired and Ellen, Henry’s wife, joined Henry in running the bakery.

1997 – Butch Rouwhorst starts Cuisine Art Catering and a private chef’s service preparing fresh frozen meals for busy families called Entre Express.

1998 – Henry Ryke sold the bakery to the Mann Brothers.

2002 – The Mann Brothers go out of business and the bakery closes its doors for the first time since 1937.

2003 – Henry re-opens the bakery with the help of Tom Hull. Later that year, Cuisine Art Catering moves into the old coffee shop kitchen at the bakery.

2005 – Butch and Renee Rouwhorst purchase the bakery from Henry Ryke and form the Cuisine Arts Family: Ryke's Bakery, Cuisine Art Catering and Butch's Café

2007 - Cuisine Arts is re-branded as Ryke's Bakery • Catering • Café

More Information

• Timeline
• More History
• Sanitary Dairy History
• Ryke’s: Say It Right, Like "Bike"