If you've ever walked into Uncle Mike's, you've probably noticed our staff before you've even made it to the kringle case.
The orange Hawaiian shirt. The orange propeller hat. Both branded, both unmistakably us.
We get two kinds of reactions to the uniform, and honestly, we love both of them.
The first is a smile. Sometimes a laugh. Occasionally someone pulls out their phone for a photo. Kids especially — there is something about a propeller hat that just works on a child's soul. We've had little ones walk in holding a parent's hand, spot the hat, and completely forget why they came in. We've had teenagers who walked in too cool for any of it leave grinning on their way out the door. We've had people tell us at the register that they needed this today — that they didn't realize how much they needed a silly hat and a good kringle until it was right in front of them.
The second reaction, every now and then, is a raised eyebrow. A comment along the lines of "how can you make your employees wear that?" We've even had people tell us the whole thing is horrible.
Here's the truth: no one is being made to wear anything. The people who work here chose this place, and the hat comes with it, and most of them would tell you the hat is one of their favorite parts.
And the reason for all of it starts with my dad.
My dad didn't open a bakery because he needed a business to run. He opened it because he loved people. He loved finding little ways to make someone's day better — a warm hello, a fresh kringle slid across the counter, a moment that interrupted whatever stress they'd dragged in through the door. Making people smile wasn't a side effect of what he did. It was the whole point.
The Hawaiian shirt and the propeller hat were never a gimmick. They were a statement. We are not here to be stuffy. We are not here to be forgettable. We are here to make your day a little more fun than it was when you walked in.
That tradition is still alive in every location. The uniforms have evolved — we've got our own custom orange version now, with Uncle Mike's branding on both the shirt and the hat — but the spirit behind them is exactly what it always was. If you walk out of here with a kringle and a smile, we've done our job.
So yes, we wear the hat. We wear it proudly.
And honestly? My dad would have been delighted by anyone who thought it was a little too much. That just means it's working.
If you haven't stopped in lately, August is a great time to visit. Summer hours, fresh kringle in the case every day, and a staff that is genuinely happy to see you. Come find out for yourself what all the hat fuss is about.