Mother's Day boosts muffin business in Southington

It was madness Sunday inside the New England Muffin Factory in the Plantsville section of Southington.

"We are busy on Sundays, but this is Mother's Day," said manager Wendy Stocking.

Stocking, a mother of three, spent her Mother's Day doing what she loves.

"I've always baked. I love to bake. And my kids were young. It was just a couple of hours, part time hours. And then, here I am, 15 years later," said Stocking.

She and her staff got to the store early Sunday morning to make muffins, scones, and breakfast sandwiches. She says people waited in the parking lot before they opened the doors at 7 a.m., and it was non-stop until 1 p.m.

"I just looked online for something to get our mothers this morning. We're going to stop by and see them both," said a woman, whose family had ever been to New England Muffin Factory before.

Others consider themselves regulars. 

"We've been coming to the Muffin Factory for quite a long time," said Mauel Joaquim of Chesire. "We celebrated Mother's Day yesterday, and we tried to avoid the rush, but this morning's request was sandwiches."

Customers say they come back to the shop because their muffin flavors are unique and delicious.

"A berry muffin, a pistachio muffin," said Georgiann Gallagher, of Marion.

"A double chip chocolate muffin," said Olivia O'Reilly, of Old Lyme. "It tastes so good, and I like it too much."

On Sunday, the muffins were flying off the shelves. At one point, the shop ran out and had to make more. With so many people coming in and ordering, they were selling them just as they came out of the oven.

"It's a lot of muffins for one day," said Stocking.