Marquette business is linked with generations of youth
By GlenEllen Lehmberg, 13 and Anna Morrison, 12, with assistance from 8-18 Media staff and with contributions by Will Guter, 10 and Rachel Hahn, 9

Since 1896, Donckers Candy and Gifts in Downtown Marquette has been “serving happiness.” From its humble beginning as an open-air stand on Washington Street, to its current set up, including its large candy selection––some of which is made in-house––and its soda fountain and lunch counter, Donckers has been very popular, especially with young people.

Up until a recent sale to another Marquette family, the store had been owned by only one family through its long history, the Donckers. According to previous owner Fred Donckers, his grandfather (also named Fred) came over from Belgium in the late 1800s, and settled in Marquette. He suffered a hunting accident in which he lost his right arm. He had been working in a local greenhouse and found he couldn't work there anymore without his arm.

“ He opened up the stand with candy, cigars, fruit and vegetables,” Donckers said. “From that little store came this great big store. The whole family, my grandpa, my dad, my aunt and my uncle, and later on my brother and I and my two sisters all worked here.”

Through the decades, the store has been the place to be for local youth getting out of school and looking for a place to chill out and relax.

“ Years ago, even during [WWII], kids would come here during school breaks and at Christmas time. They'd all come back here and hang out and meet their friends, Donckers said.” “We used to call it, ‘The old house with the young spirit.’”

As an example of how important the store was with kids during that era, Donckers explained with pride that in 1947, Marquette Senior High School dedicated its “Tatler” yearbook to his father who was on the school board and therefore had close ties with the students.

“ One time the basketball team was in here and they weren't supposed to be,” Donckers said. “The coach came in and they all ran and hid in the boys' bathroom. My dad told the coach, ‘No, they aren't here,’ but he knew they were hiding in the back.”

Even today, the store has maintained its close ties with students. Lane Whitley, sixteen, of Marquette comes to Donckers every Wednesday during the school year and often in the summer too. Whitley loves to hang out at Donckers because the service is great and they really care about you, no matter what your age is.

“ My friend and I have picked out our classes for the next school year while sitting at Donckers,” Whitley said. “The workers laugh and talk with us about everything and anything. There isn’t a dull thing inside.”

Tom and Jen Ray of Marquette purchased the store from Donckers in 2007 and immediately remodeled and expanded the store, bringing back a real soda fountain (that they tracked down in Chicago) and adding the restaurant portion. They re-opened for business in July of 2008. Jen Ray feels it was important to continue the strong relationship with Marquette’s young people.

“ They feel comfortable here,” Ray said. “We know their names. It’s a fun, friendly family-oriented atmosphere and I think people really enjoy that. Especially young people, they add a lot of life to it for us.”

Ray said that they give discounts to high school and NMU students with their school cards and I.D.’s and they have free WiFi to encourage young people to stop in. Ray said another low-tech touch continues a long-running social tradition at the store. Years ago, young people craved their initials or other messages in the wooden booths in the back of the store. While Ray does not want any more carving to happen, she said they are allowing for the tradition to continue, but maybe in a less destructive way.

“ We painted chalkboard paint on the walls so they can draw on the walls with chalk, and make it fun and interactive for people to be here,” she said.

Another long-running tradition at the store is having young people for employees. Fred Donckers started working in his grandfather’s store when he was very young.

“ When I was in sixth grade I started to work here stamping paper bags, breaking up boxes and stuff like that,” He said. “I worked here off and on part-time until I got into high school then I worked here full-time.”

Donckers explains many Marquette people started their careers at the store.

“ We have a lot of kids who went to high school and worked here after school,” he said. “You see them around now and they worked here fifty or sixty years ago. They worked for 30-35 cents an hour and they had their own uniforms. They were always happy to get a job here at Donckers because they knew it was a nice, friendly place to work.”

Ben Harris, sixteen, of Marquette, has been working at Donckers since the start of last summer. He thinks it’s a great place to work with a fun atmosphere. He also says that there are really nice people working there.

“ My usual tasks involve working behind the soda fountain, scooping ice cream and also getting candy for people and cutting fudge,” Harris said.

Harris likes hearing from people who have childhood memories of the store.

“ I think it’s really neat. Whenever people come in who haven’t been here in recent years they are always saying, ‘Oh, I used to come here as a kid’ and they’re all excited when they see what they’ve done with the place.” Harris said.

Ray, whose three children have also worked in the store, is very supportive and thankful for the young workers at Donckers. She feels there is a good group of high school and college-age workers there.

“ Most of them are young and they bring energy and life. They are hard-working and friendly,” she said. “We haven't had a lot of turnover at all. If people leave it's because they're moving or they graduate and go on to something else. We hire high school kids because this is a great place for them to start a job and learn from us…and us from them.”

Whitley said that going to Donckers helps make her feel more connected to the history of Marquette.

“ Kids have been going to Donckers for years and years,” she said. “That one store has seen so many different faces over the years. It makes me feel like I’m helping build the history in downtown.”

Ray is proud to be playing an important role in keeping such a long-running Marquette tradition alive.

“ I like seeing the really little kids come in and their eyes are always really wide by the candy counter,” She said.

Now in 2011 the store is still running strong. The “Old House with a Young Spirit” is still a popular hangout for kids of any age, and it’s likely Donckers will stay here as a symbol of history and fun in downtown Marquette.