Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY — Barry’s Bay Dairy Bar, an icon in the town for 54 years, has been sold.
Co-owner Tony Yantha said time and COVID-19 have combined to make it the right time to get out of the business.
“We’ve always had good employees and we’re very proud of that,” said Yantha
“My oldest brother Ed is 82, I’m 80 and Doc (Yantha’s younger brother Sylvester’s nickname) is 78.”
As far as family taking over the business, Yantha said, “they will all be mad because I said this, but nobody wants to work seven days a week anymore.”
While Yantha and his brother Edward bought the business in 1969, it had been operating for decades prior, having been started by Paul Mask in the 1930s as a milk producer and distributor.
In 1977, a new building was constructed and the restaurant capacity increased to 80 seats.
“And then we had a dairy bar here and we had a 45-flavour ice cream parlour.” People would be lined up outside to get in. Doc joined the ownership group in 1974.
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