Awwww, Conshohocken Italian Bakery to close – We’re Sorry

Awwwww, Conshohocken Italian Bakery to close – We’re Sorry and Thankful to the Families who have poured their heart and soul into it

10/10/2024

by Brian Coll

You can see the news of the day in the headline. My family and I are going to miss the Gambone Family and all the other people and families that made the Conshohocken Italian Bakery special. To me it was always THE BAKERY, or maybe the Conshy Bakery…but as I grew up and got to meet Domenic Gambone and while I could never fully appreciate his journey and I’m sure most of you can’t either… I began to understand while the name Conshohocken Italian Bakery meant so much and over time I began to call it by its full name. We wrote about Domenics journey in one of our books and in the coming days or months maybe my dad Jack and I will find it and publish it here. I think a few of you would appreciate it. The cliff notes version is Domenic and his brothers traveled to America by boat from Italy in the 1950’s arriving in New York and traveling to Norristown. Domenic didn’t speak English, he worked a few jobs and eventually started working in a bakery. Eventually Domenic and a fellow baker named Frank Manze decided to go into business for themselves and found the location here in Conshohocken. The Conshohocken Italian Bakery has been very kind and generous to the greater Conshohocken community. Frank passed away in 2010, Domenic and his family have continued the business. The Conshohocken Italian Bakery just celebrated their 50th anniversary this past year and what a year it was. The Conshohocken Italian Bakery hosted a few events and parties.

Some of our favorite stories and memories include when they had to knock a hole in the building so they could bake a 150′ roll to help Conshohocken celebrate its sesquicentennial in 2000. Dozens of residents helped slide the roll through the wall into the street where a massive hoagie was made and enjoyed by all.

The Conshohocken Italian Bakery made the Guiness Book of World Records in 2005 when it created a 54′ long hot dog roll.

They continue to make memories for every family that brings kids there and they give them a fresh dinner roll. I’m not sure its officially a party unless there is a Conshohocken Italian Bakery tomato pie being served. Just last week I attended an event hosted by the Ambucs, a local business group that supports our community as well as the Special Olympic programs in the area. During the event, appetizers were being passed around by servers and when the tomato pie from THE CONSHOHOCKEN ITALIAN BAKERY went around, the plate was cleared pretty quickly!

Before I go on too long, I want to wish the best to the staff and families that have poured their hearts into this business and I want to wish Domenic, his wife Claire and children Lisa, Michael, Maryann, and Tina the best retirement they could possibly wish for. We love you, we wish you the best, you deserve it. Thank you for all you did for our community.

We’ll have news with what will happen next on Jones Street, but today we want to wish the best to the Gambone family, the employees and all the local sandwich shops and eateries that have used Conshohocken Italian Bakery Rolls.

Please make sure you visit one last time before the end of the month.