Historic St. Anthony’s Bakery Closing

St. Anthony’s Bakery, a popular family-owned Dyker Heights fixture is saying goodbye after being in the neighborhood for more than 50 years. St. Anthony’s Bakery, 6819 Fort Hamilton Pkwy., which has been open since 1971 and is famous for its delicious Italian bread and pastries, will officially close its doors on Dec. 5.

One of the bakery’s owners, Francesco Schillaci, who took over the bakery in 1988 from his uncle who had owned it since 1971, said that it was time to retire, close up shop and spend more time with his family. “Nothing lasts forever,” he said. “Even if I wanted to try to continue, I don’t have the strength to keep it going.”

Before it was St. Anthony’s, the building had hosted a bakery under a different name starting way back in 1931. In 1973, Schillaci started working there. Throughout the decades, several family members young and old grew up working at the establishment as they bonded while they grew a loyal customer base… read more >