HISTORY

In 1903 Rose and Charles Presti Sr. opened Presti’s Bakery. As the business grew so did their family. In 1918, Charles Presti Jr. was born. He worked at the bakery from a young age, learning the trade from his parents. The bakery moved location a number of times before settling into the heart of Cleveland’s Little Italy on Mayfield Rd. in 1943.

In 1946, Charles Jr. married his lovely wife, Jean. Together they raised three children, Charles, Claudia and Sheila. They worked in the bakery for much of their youth, breaking only to attend college. At the bakery, they learned from their father all that he was taught by his parents and what he had learned from experience. As the business grew more, Charles, in 1962, divided the bakery into two businesses, splitting the bread from the donuts. Charles gave his son the donut shop and his daughters the bakery.

After a while, Charles III moved to Florida and leased the donut shop which was eventually sold. Claudia and Sheila bought and renovated the building at 12101 Mayfield Rd. and then moved Presti’s Bakery and Café into the new building in 1999.

At this time, Presti’s Bakery remains an integral part of Cleveland’s Little Italy. Claudia’s son Michael, is the pastry chef and the fourth generation working at the bakery. We still use only the freshest ingredients with no preservatives to produce fine quality baked goods. Still made by hand with the same recipes and techniques originally created by Rose Presti.

CHARLES PRESTI SR.