Guy Takes Over Growing Upper Crust Business

Columbia Daily Tribune:

Bill and Joan Buck have decided it’s time to make room for the young Guys, in particular former franchisee Adam Guy and his fiancee, Caroline Oldfield.

This week, Guy purchased the Green Meadows Upper Crust from the Bucks, and at the ripe old age of 24, he now controls the entire Upper Crust operation, which includes two retail stores — 3107 Green Meadows Way and 904 Elm St. — and a growing list of catering, wholesale and food service clients.

Bill Buck, 66, said he started talking to Guy about taking over the business about a year and a half ago. The Bucks bought The Upper Crust in 1998, and within the first three years, Joan Buck had tripled the business.

Bill Buck joined her full time in 2001, but he credits her with steering the business to where it is today. She “semi-retired” last year, Bill Buck said, and moved to Florida to work with their son, Justin, who owns a tennis academy in Tampa.

Bill Buck said the deal with Guy calls for Buck to stay on as a consultant for up to three years. He said Guy was the natural choice to take over.

The Bucks opened the downtown Upper Crust in 2005. Guy bought the business Jan. 1, 2007. He also owns the Cold Stone Creamery ice cream shop in the same Elm Street building. “When he bought the franchise downtown, it wasn’t doing well,” Bill Buck said. “Adam turned it around.”

The downtown Upper Crust occupies a 6,000-square-foot leasehold; about half the space is for dining and counter sales, and the other half is a banquet-ballroom area.

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