75 years of pastries! 75 years of family! 75 years of memories!
On Sun., Oct. 8 the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop celebrated 75 years of business. While the special day marked a huge accomplishment for the small business, it also represented much more.
Inspired by their father, Anthony Lanzerotti, a baker working in Brooklyn NY, Jerry Lanzerotti Sr. and one of his two brothers, Joseph, opened the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop in 1948. Together with his wife, Vee, Jerry Sr. shared his passion for baking and his family recipes from Catania, Sicily with the community of Lyndhurst. Their three sons (Butch, Chuck and Jerry) grew up working beside their father learning the trade and carrying on his legacy. Today the store is still a family affair, with four generations of Lanzerottis working together.
Of course, this special anniversary called for a special celebration. The shop was decked out with 75th themed anniversary decorations, complemented by our signature green color. The store also got a new addition as we started selling our merchandise in-store as opposed to exclusively online. Items include T-shirts, long sleeves, crewnecks, hats, mugs, tumblers and tote bags.
As we realize none of this would be possible without our valued customers, the first order of business was to make sure that they are also included in this momentous occasion. On the 8th, a table with self-serve coffee, donut holes, cookies, and crumb cake was out all day for customers to enjoy. We also hosted an hourly give away from 8AM to 6 PM where we went live on our Instagram and announced each raffle winner. To enter customers received a ticket for each $10 they spent in the store.
The day was focused around feeling nostalgic, and that included prices. A special anniversary sale included each customer’s second dozen of miniature pastries at 75 cents a piece to commemorate the milestone. Lastly, each customer received a special anniversary cake slicer to show our gratitude.
But that’s not the only thing that happened on that day. From 12-4 PM, there was a meet and greet with the three owners: Butch, Chuck, and Jerry. The brothers were delighted to spend this special day with so many special people. Family, friends, customers, and passed employees all met outside to share their memories of the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop. Monsignor Ron Marczewski came to bless the building and join the celebration.
Inside, the storefront T.V. played a slideshow showing family and business pictures throughout the 75 years. The video looped the whole day, and continues to play for the rest of this year.
While the shop closed at six PM that day, the celebration was not over. Past and current LPS employees and family all joined to have a party in the back of the bakery. There was food, music, and memories made. Butch, Chuck and Jerry gave a beautiful speech thanking their families and workers who, as Butch said, “are just like family.”
As this big family’s big night came to a close, the workers presented the boys with an anniversary plaque, signed by all employees.
As Business Manager/Granddaughter, Paulette Lanzerotti said, “Not only do we sell products, but we also sell memories.”
So here’s to another 75 years of working with family to sell the sweetest memories.
