Gerardo's Cooks Up Recipe For A New Bakery

Located on Route 9 in Westborough for the past 13 years, Gerardo's Italian Bakery is a local favorite. Known for their fresh breads, cannolis (made on site) and various pastries, cookies and italian cakes, Gerardo's enjoys the business of many regulars who are known by name.

According to Angela Fahey, manager, "One of our most popular items is our lobster tails. This is a pastry puff filled with Italian cream and custard, which customers can get with either powdered sugar on top or dipped in European dark chocolate."

Fahey has been with Gerardo's for two years. She enjoys the family atmosphere that the business provides and said, "For me, the best thing about working here is everyone who comes in always leaves with a smile. They may not walk in with one but they definitely leave with one. I think that there's a little bit of comfort in our treats. I like making people happy and I get to do it all day!"

Gerardo's will be building an entire new bakery on the now vacant lot adjacent to the current shop. The new building will be about 2,000 square feet, double the current space. In sync with Gerardo's home base in West Boylston, customers can look forward to the new decor that Gerardo has planned.

Walking into the new bakery will feel like walking into a "Tuscan Style" cafe and will have an Old World Italian feel to it. Here, a seating area will be added where customers can sit down and relax with a cup of coffee and a slice of tiramisu cake or any of Gerardo's delicious treats. Also, there will be expanded parking, a much needed addition.

The new bakery will have all sorts of new items for customers. "Along with our staple items such as cannolis, pastries, Italian cookies, breads and cakes," said Fahey, "we have recently begun selling our scrumptious dream cakes which come in a variety of flavors such as triple chocolate, blueberry, strawberry peach and chocolate fudge and raspberry. We also have added double stuffed fudge Oreo's, butterscotch cannolis as well as our delicious strawberry cannollis with fresh strawberry preserves blended in our creamy ricotta filling. We will also serve jumbo strawberries dipped in European chocolate."

According to customers from Westborough, the current Gerardo's location has been home to a pizzeria, a deli and, most memorably, a pet store. Several lifelong residents recall visiting the pet store as children and have fond memories of the monkeys that the store keeper kept in the front windows. Some have suggested that there was a fire in the building as well, which nearly destroyed it.

Until the new bakery is complete in early 2012, this small, history-filled building will remain standing. When construction is completed, the building will come down.

In addition to the Westborough location, Gerardo's has a main bakery located at 339 West Boylston St. in Boylston and a location in Bolton Orchards.

SOURCE: Gerardo's Italian Bakery