The Conshohocken Bakery announced on October 10th that it will be closing its doors after 51 years of baking on Jones Street in the borough. The Gambone family cited personal reasons were cited for the closure.

This has led many people to tag other bakeries on social media, asking them to take over, making other suggestions for the property, and asking the bakery why the brand wasn’t sold to someone new to carry on.

In response to one of these comments, the bakery responded that there is a buyer who will not operate as Conshohocken Italian Bakery.

Several people have contacted us over the past 24 hours (before the bakery’s announcement) to tell us who the buyer is. The story we have been told hasn’t been consistent regarding the planned use of the property; however, it has all been the same name. We have not confirmed any of this, so we do not feel comfortable sharing it at this point.

The new owner is likely trying to determine what is permissible on the property and gauge the borough’s response to its plans. The property is located within a residential zoning district established in 2001. The bakery opened in 1973, so it is now a non-conforming use within a residential area.

In 2014, the bakery sought and received approval to expand its retail operation by converting a residential property at the corner of Spring Mill Avenue and Jones Street (adjacent to the bakery) into a cafe. It planned to offer coffee and the baked goods it has historically sold from the bakery and have a few outdoor seats. While approved, the Gambone family never moved forward with the plan, and any associated approvals have long expired.

We share this because if the new owner intends to operate much as the Conshohocken Italian Bakery has done over the past 50 years, it likely won’t need any approvals to move forward. If it intends to expand the retail nature of the business or make other significant changes, it will likely need to go through the zoning hearing process for approval (as the bakery previously did in 2014). It is also important to note that these types of transactions are often contingent on the buyer obtaining any needed zoning approvals.

More to come.

Photo: The Original Thunderbird Steakhouse and Catering