Skally's Takes Big Bakery Plans Across State Line To Harrison

By Mike Perleberg (Harrison, Oh.) - Hundreds of new jobs that had once been destined for Dearborn County are now coming to Harrison. Skally’s Old World Bakery announced in 2015 its plans to build a large bakery near the Interstate 74 exit in West Harrison. Earlier this year, however, the company backed out despite efforts by Dearborn County officials to keep the project in the Hoosier state. On Tuesday, City of Harrison Economic Development Director Shannon Hamons told city leaders that Skally’s will bring its production facility at the Harrison Township and City of Harrison Joint Economic Development District. The 95-acre site is between Southwest Parkway and Kilby Road. Hamons said local discussions with Skally’s began several months ago, presumably once the Indiana plans had fallen through. “Mayor Bill Neyer, Township Trustee President Tom Losekamp, City Development Director Shannon Hamons and City Public Works Director Jim Leslie met with co-founder Drew Skally and Jeff Eichhorn of the Schueler Group-led land owners to discuss the community’s capability to provide needed utilities and roadways to the facility. Subsequent City-Township meetings with company engineers encouraged the company to make an initial commitment to the site. Final commitment was made November 13 when the company closed on the land purchase with the Schueler Group,” said Hamons. Hamons said the company will start construction on a $40 million first phase in the spring of 2018 with a 58,000 square-foot freezer and a 345,000 square-foot bakery. The freezer and bakery will employ 50 people initially, but that number could increase to as many as 200 within one to three years of completion. Skally’s Old World Bakery was founded in 1977 in Cincinnati, but chances for growth have been stifled due to its current facility being landlocked. The company produces about 25,000 bagels an hour at its Cincinnati location, along with pita breads and other baked goods. With the planned Harrison facility, the company will be able to up its production to more than 75,000 bagels an hour. RELATED STORIES: Bakery’s Plans To Build In W. Harrison Have Gotten Stale Ohio Bakery Expanding With $40M W. Harrison Facility; 150 Jobs