Lou (left) and Tony Saraceni will switch off their ovens at Vastese Bakery in North Perth this week.
Camera IconLou (left) and Tony Saraceni will switch off their ovens at Vastese Bakery in North Perth this week. Credit: Supplied/Sophie Gabrielle

Final cut for family bakers

Sophie GabrielleEastern Reporter

After almost 60 years, the family-run business will sell its last loaf of bread on Christmas Eve. Managing director Lou Saraceni said his time in the business had been “a good ride”.

“We are quitting while we are still ahead, like Jerry Seinfeld did,” Mr Saraceni said.

“We are quitting on a high. But unlike Seinfeld, there won’t be any re-runs.”

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Fellow managing director Tony Saraceni said the pair had considered closing the shop for the past two years and started planning for it in the past 12 months.

Mr Saraceni said North Perth was unrecognisable from when he was a child, growing up on Fitzgerald Street except for the retained character houses.

“The whole street was full of migrants: Italians, Greeks, Macedonians,” he said.

“There have been a lot of changes in the bread industry.

“We are one of only three family owned bakeries still left (in WA) – every country town used to have its own bakery.”

Mr Saraceni said an Osborne Park bakery had bought their equipment, including the huge mixers that work more than 200kg of dough at a time.

“It’s better than scrapping it,” he said. “You can make a good living…we have.

“We just want a break, it’s the best decision I’ve made in my life.”