Our Story

This classy couple is Peggy and Lawton Wolf, pictured on their wedding day in 1935. Peggy Lawton Kitchens' history dates back to the 1940s when Peggy and Lawton were running “The Sampler”, a bustling luncheonette in Dedham, Massachusetts. Peggy’s homemade fudge brownies were in high demand among customers. This led the couple to launch their own business specifically devoted to baked goods. In 1949, they rented a small shop for $20 a month where Lawton mixed, baked, and packaged brownies and delivered them to local eateries. Demand for Peggy Lawton Kitchens products began to spread across New England, precipitating the company's expansion and relocation.

East Walpole Location

In 1961, the company moved to it's fifth and current location in East Walpole, Massachusetts. The Wolfs purchased an old movie theater on Washington Street and transformed it into a well-equipped baking facility. What had previously been the projectionist booth was converted into office space and the ticket lobby became a sales staging area.

Explosion

Business continued to flourish until 1964 when a massive explosion rocked and completely leveled the Washington Street factory. In the middle of the night, professional arsons cut a hole in the roof of the bakery, entered, and set explosive devices throughout the building. After the fuses had been lit and arsonists had departed, the walls of Peggy Lawton Kitchens blew out and the roof collapsed on the equipment inside. The force of the blast was so intense that it knocked sleeping neighbors out of their beds. When Lawton Wolf observed the damage, he was ready to throw in the towel but Peggy Lawton employees rallied and assured him that they would help with the building's reconstruction and setup. 84 days later, with the aid of contractors and employees, a brand new structure was erected and Peggy Lawton was back in business, without losing a single customer or worker. The identity and motives of the perpetrator of this crime remains an unsolved mystery.

Peggy Lawton Today

Peggy Lawton Kitchens is now in the hands of William Wolf, Peggy and Lawton's son. It continues to be an iconic New England brand offering high-quality products at low, fair prices. Lawton liked to refer to himself as a "baker by the golden rule", someone who believed in doing good to others. Today, we are proud to maintain that legacy in the quality of our products, the treatment of our employees, and our generosity towards the local community.