Duke Bakery Outlines Super Bowl, Valentine's and Mardi Gras Deals Ahead of Bakery's 75th Anniversary

Our Daily Show Interview! NAGBC Spotlight on Duke Bakery: New Food Trailer Soon!

ALTON - As Duke Bakery gears up for its 75th anniversary, co-owner Ben Hollis is proud of the work they do to engage with the community.

Hollis shared that he has been going on a “Baker Ben tour” to local schools and libraries to read to kids. Duke also implemented free breakfast programs and additional initiatives to help community members when SNAP benefits were paused. Hollis emphasized the importance of giving back like this and shared his excitement to continue providing the community with sweets, treats and fun.

“You can call it giving back to the community if you want. I don’t know. I just look at it as something that I enjoy doing,” he said. “It’s just a really good time.”

Hollis noted that Valentine’s Day is the bakery’s biggest holiday next to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Their chocolate-covered strawberries, cookies and petit four cakes are especially popular during this time of year.

Duke is also preparing for the Super Bowl, with plenty of cookies ready no matter which team you’re rooting for. Additionally, they will accept orders for king cakes up until Mardi Gras on Feb. 17, 2026.

These holidays and events are major days in the bakery business, and Hollis encourages people to place their orders as early as possible. But he noted that the bakery can accommodate people up until “the last minute” if they call Duke directly. He thanked his employees, both past and present, for their dedication to the bakery during this busy season.

Delicious Catering for up to 350 People! Starting at $17 per Person

Shop Local

Uncle Linny's Catering

Get This Deal →

“It’s getting in earlier, working longer days, and calling in anyone and everyone who works for you or who has worked for you in the past that’s willing to come in,” he said. “We have multigenerational employees where we’ve had grandmothers, mothers, and now a third generation that has worked for us. That’s pretty cool.”

To celebrate the bakery’s 75th anniversary, they have also reintroduced Duke Beverages. These sodas are “going crazy,” Hollis said, with many people appreciating the nostalgic flavors and glass bottles.

Duke will partner with Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau to mark its anniversary later this year. Hollis encourages people to visit the bakery’s official Facebook page to stay updated on these events.

He expressed his appreciation for the customers and community that has supported Duke through every decade. He highlighted the bakery’s commitment to Alton and Granite City, adding that they are dedicated to making sure the bakery retains its heart.

“We would never want to leave the Middletown Neighborhood,” he said. “And, in turn, we never want to renovate to the point where it’s going to change that nostalgic vibe of what you remember coming in when you were a kid. There’s just too many memories that are held in that building, not just by us but by the customers and the community.”

As the bakery nears this major milestone, Hollis is proud of the work they’ve put in and the ways they’ve been there for community members over the years. He said that participating in these celebrations and supporting the community are just some of the reasons why he loves his job.

“My favorite part of being a baker is that we’re entrusted by so many friends, neighbors, people in the community to be part of their special day, whether it’s their wedding, whether it’s a birthday or a baby shower, whatever it may be,” he explained. “It’s a lot of trust that the community puts in you, relying on you to be part of its special day. I think that’s what’s really cool about it. You talk to people and they say, ‘You did my grandparents’ wedding cake and you did my parents’ wedding cake and now you’re going to get to do mine.’”

For more information about Duke Bakery, visit their official Facebook page or their official website.

More like this:

Duke Bakery to Launch Mobile Food Trailer for Events

Feb 4, 2026

Middletown Neighborhood Celebrates Twelfth Night

Jan 7, 2026

Duke Bakery To Relaunch Historic Soda Line

Oct 23, 2025

Alton Hosts Fifth Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt

Mar 31, 2026

April 29 in History: Dachau’s Liberation, Joan of Arc at Orléans, and Other Defining Moments

Today