DeLuca Bakery Memories Part 1

1960's advertisement

Reading in the Morning Journal about Kiedrowski's Bakery's wonderful success in beating eight other bakeries nationwide to win the Best Bakery in America title reminded me of all the great bakeries that used to be so prevalent in our area.

I've mentioned Bob's Donuts in this blog many times, as well as Bill's Bakery, but this time I'd like to mention another local favorite: DeLuca Bakery.

I'm sure many of you are familiar with DeLuca's Place in the Park, but a whole generation has grown up that didn't have the privilege of stopping in at one of the DeLuca Bakery locations, where the whole present-day catering business started.

The main location was at the corner of Eighth and Reid Avenue, but the one my family went to was at W. 38th and Oberlin Avenue. It was probably the final stop on our weekly 1960's Saturday morning jaunt around town that included shopping and trumpet lessons in Downtown Lorain.

I remember one time going into the bakery with my mother on one of these stops. We noticed that on the counter next to the slicer were all these heels and ends that were left over after the bread and rolls had been sliced and wrapped.

To many people (myself included), those ends and crusts are the best part!

"What are you going to do with those?" my mom asked. I can't remember what the reply was, but the counter person happily offered them to my mother, sliding them all into a big bag. In the car, we munched on them all the way home, and they were great!

Anyway, the 1960's ad (above) shows the beginning of the company's shift in focus from the bakery to that of the catering business.