Bakery tradition continues in Bordentown building

By: Michelle McGuinness
   BORDENTOWN CITY — When Nardoza’s Bakery on Farnsworth Avenue opened Saturday it revived a tradition that has survived in Bordentown for well over 100 years.
   The building where the new bakery opened has remained a bakery for about 150 years, according to John Buckousis, the landlord of the bakery.
   Mr. Buckousis, who has lived over the bakery for about 20 years, said he traced the bakery’s history back to before the 1900s.
   "It’s been a bakery for well over a hundred years, probably close to 150 years," he said.
   During that time, the building has housed bakeries under several different owners and names.
   Mr. Buckousis said in the early 1900s it was owned by a family named Grass. Later, from about 1945 to 1965, the Eichenbaum family, of Bordentown, ran a bakery in the building.
   Mr. Buckousis said he started working at the bakery at age 15 when it was called the Royal Bake Shop, a name the bakery held for about 20 years.
   The Royal Bake Shop was run by a man originally from Trenton. Mr. Buckousis said his bakery was very successful and well-liked by the public, but he eventually became ill and sold the bakery to Mr. Buckousis, who is still the landlord today.
   "I’ve been a baker my whole life," he said. "I learned how to bake right here when I was a kid."
   Mr. Buckousis said he recently thought about renting out the building as something other than a bakery. However, he said, he eventually decided that he’d rather preserve the tradition of the building.
   In order to do that, he teamed up with his friend Jason Nardoza, the current owner of Nardoza’s bakery, which opened Saturday. Mr. Nardoza, of East Windsor, co-owns the new bakery with his father, who retired from work as a contractor to help with the bakery.
   "He didn’t want to be the one to change the tradition here," Mr. Nardoza said of Mr. Buckousis’ decision.
   Mr. Nardoza said he doesn’t feel any pressure because of the building’s history, but does hope to uphold the quality many residents associate with previous bakeries located there.
   "We’re trying to get it turned around and bring back the customers. It’s a new atmosphere," he said. "It’s a quality product. It’s not something you’re going to get at the supermarket."
   Mr. Buckousis said no chemicals or preservatives are used in the new bakery’s goods. Mr. Nardoza added that he uses more traditional, older recipes when baking.
   Mr. Nardoza said he is especially proud of the wedding cakes he makes, though the bakery also features others treats such as cookies, pastries and breads.
   According to Mr. Buckousis, in the ’60s and ’70s, people sometimes waited in line outside to get into the bakery. "And they did it willingly," he said. Other residents traditionally stopped by the bakery after church on Sundays.
   He said he hopes Nardoza’s Bakery will bring back that kind of enthusiasm from customers.
   "There aren’t too many hometown bakeries around," Mr. Buckousis said. Mr. Nardoza said when he opened on Saturday, customers seemed excited to have a new bakery.
   "They were excited," he said. "They couldn’t wait for a bakery."
   Mr. Nardoza said while he saw a lot of residents, he also had a lot of out-of-town customers.
   He said he was pleased with the opening considering that it was a "cold opening," meaning little advertising was done in preparation for it. Mr. Nardoza said the bakery’s grand opening will occur this weekend.
Nardoza’s Bakery is located at 314 Farnsworth Ave. and hours of operation on Saturday for the grand opening will be 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.