Carlo's Bake Shop facts for kids
Carlo's Bake Shop, often called Carlo's Bakery, is a very famous bakery located in Hoboken, New Jersey. It is owned by a well-known baker named Buddy Valastro. This bakery became super popular because it was the main setting for the TLC TV show called Cake Boss.
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The Story of Carlo's Bakery
How It All Started
Carlo's Bakery first opened its doors in 1910. It was started by an Italian pastry chef named Carlo Guastaferro. Many years later, in 1964, a man named Bartolo "Buddy" Valastro Sr. bought the bakery.
Today, his son, also named Buddy Valastro, runs the bakery. He works alongside his four older sisters, three brothers-in-law, and other family and friends. One special employee was Sal Picinich, who worked there for many years until 2011.
Becoming Famous with Cake Boss
The bakery became super well-known thanks to the TV show Cake Boss. This reality television series first aired on TLC in April 2009. The show featured the bakery staff creating amazing and often very fancy custom cakes.
Because of the show, Carlo's Bakery turned into a popular place for tourists to visit. It became a really important spot in Hoboken and the surrounding area.
Expanding the Bakery
As Cake Boss grew in popularity, Carlo's Bakery needed more space. They built a new factory in nearby Jersey City. This factory helps them make even more special cakes. It also lets them bake goods to send all across the country.
Before the factory, the Hoboken bakery was too small to ship cakes far away. The new factory made it possible to share their delicious treats with more people.
New Locations Open Up
Carlo's Bakery started opening new stores in different places. On May 24, 2011, they opened their first branch in New York City's Times Square. This spot, called Cake Boss Cafe, sold smaller baked goods and show merchandise.
They opened their first full bakery branch in Ridgewood, New Jersey, on February 10, 2013. More New Jersey bakeries followed in Westfield, New Jersey and Red Bank, New Jersey later that year.
In 2014, Carlo's opened a store in Morristown, New Jersey. They also opened their first bakery on the West Coast in Las Vegas.
On December 5, 2015, a new Carlo's Bakery opened at The Florida Mall in Orlando, Florida. In November 2016, a kiosk opened in Wayne, New Jersey. Other New Jersey locations include Marlton and Westfield.
Going International
Carlo's Bakery even opened its first store outside the United States. On December 8, 2016, a bakery opened in São Paulo, Brazil. It was managed by Rick Zavala, who won a baking TV show in Brazil.
Changes to Locations
Some bakery locations have closed over time. The Red Bank, New Jersey store closed on August 1, 2018. In January 2019, the Morristown and Ridgewood locations also closed. However, many other Carlo's Bakery locations in New Jersey and other states remain open.
