A new bakery opens where there is a 150-year history of the trade
Michelle McGuinness, The Packet Group
When Nardoza’s Bakery had its grand opening this past weekend at 314 Farnsworth Avenue 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. 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. 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.
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. "There aren’t too many hometown bakeries around," Mr. Buckousis said.

