A classic Philly roll bakery shuts down
A sale of D'Ambrosio Bakery in Grays Ferry apparently fell through.
A classic Philly roll bakery shuts down
Michael Klein, Philly.com
D'Ambrosio Bakery in Grays Ferry - one of the city's longtime roll bakeries - shut down today, apparently after a deal to sell the nearly 75-year-old company was scuttled, according to sources in the baking industry.
D'Ambrosio, which employed about 60 people, was sold by the founding family in 2005 to Gatehouse Ventures of Berwyn, a leveraged-buyout specialist that only a few years ago was building a portfolio of bread bakeries, including Amalfitano's in Delaware. In 2006, D'Ambrosio took over certain assets of Vilotti-Pisanelli Baking.
D'Ambrosio's corporate history traces its founding to 1939 when Vincent D'Ambrosio created a small bakery in the basement of his family home in South Philly. In 1977, it took over a former supermarket at 31st and Reed Streets.
I await a return call for comment.
Comments (49)
Still wondering why this page didnt post my comment ??— Jjjv- roman7000: You are insane. The Waltons run their sweat shops like true Romney-esq Republicans. What's worse, THEM or you trying to convince people that Walmart is run by a Democrat. Loser.— MichaelZoe
- D'Ambrosio was good. And I agree, Wawa bread sucks. Sad to see a long term bakery go. Sheesh.— Poppys
- "Wendell's" 1776 union workers haven't gotten a raise in 4 yrs, & under his new contract...will not get a raise for 5 MORE years, let alone the things that were agreed upon to TAKE away! How much has a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread gone up in 9yrs!? How are people supposed to survive with greedy pigs like him at the helm? It's really unimaginable how this man could sleep at night, but I'm sure he sleeps soundly with a clear conscious, because his bank account is FAT.— LadyRocker
- no wonder their rolls didn't taste the same, asahme another philadelphia landmark gone due to corporate greed, thank you wall street— eddiot
- When they bought the other bakeries (mine) the venture capital group did not want ay input from the 30 years plus experence from the owners they knew it all tossed out all thier recpies nor did they want any changes to make thier product better . Men in suits telling bakers who gave there life to thier profession this is how you make bread . They ruined some great bakeries names in the mud .— joeyabaker
- Tolerance is everything. A company only exists for the benefit of it's employees and society. Without needy employees and a needy society, a company is nothing. The original owners of D'Ambrosio's sold the company and hoarded all the profit for themselves. If they had run the company and invested their money in the company for the benefit of the employees's needs then maybe the company would still be in business. Also, when a company is run for the benefit of the employees, there is a better chance that the government will give out money to the company when the products become obsolete or the employees don't want to be productive anymore. As the old saying goes...."from each according to their ability and to each according to their needs". God bless the United States of America.— oneadaysfine
- They cant afford the NEW OBAMACARE tax and premiums....— UGHROLF
youwish, Thats Funny! LOL- How sad. 60 people lost their jobs. I hope things get better for them and their families.— msmame
- To read these posts one would think no one voted for Obama and everyone hates unions. Oh, wait. Everyone who voted for Obama and belongs to a union is working and cannot sit on their butts posting nonsense. How many of you right wing posters here are on "disability"? Raise your hands.— Philly Born
- Another victim of Obamunism, RIP!— Paul Revered
- Roman7000 - well said! As my comment hits the third page, hope you don't mind that I copied/pasted some of your comments. "The UFCW Local 1776 who represents a majority of the employees failed their members miserably - just like the bakers union did to all of those hard working FORMER employees of Hostess. The union leaders have been feathering their own nests with the blood, sweat and tears of their members. Here's something ironic, Wendell Young IV is the UFCW Local 1776's president who makes more than the president of the NATIONAL AFL-CIO president and the NATIONAL Teamster president. A small local union on Germantown Pike who represents a fraction of those larger unions pays their leader MORE! Hey soon to be FORMER ACME employees - the YOUNG family has screwed you just like the Baker's Union did to Hostess. Wendell makes over $350,000/year. Do you think he would take a pay cut to help his members? He salary has gone up 10% annually since his late father gave him the job. These #'s are all public data and you can verify it. Don't let that clown with the slicked back hair spin it like he always does. Ask yourself - why does he pick on Walmart so much when their president hasn't gotten a raise in 5 years, but Wendell gets rich every year?" from Roman7000— StewieforPresident
- Their rolls were terrible anyway and so are Amorosos. There are still a few bakeries in the region that bake rolls that are worthy of being a part of a good hoagie.— fightins4ever
- No great loss. They produced the most horrible bread. Nothing but white airy stuff. Basically Wonder Bread with a crust. This is a blessing.— cognoscenti
- People rave about how great Amoroso rolls are...I think they often really mean D'Ambrosio rolls, seriously...they just don't realize it. They were great rolls.— 19151
- Cant bake with union hacks, they will open down south better product more effeciant No Unions that steal from you— bigtom blew3
- Isn't there some law passed a number of years ago about giving notice to employees and the city when a firm that employes a number of people plans to cease operations?— gb
- Their rolls weren't that good anyway. Couldn't hold a candle to Liscio's.— Bradley85
- There is nothing stopping all you corporate bashers from buying the bakery to see if you can make a profit. When any of you do that, then you can come back and bash the Gatehouse Ventures all you want. Or if you hate big business SO much quit your jobs and start your own business. Some people are so stupid and entitled. Think money grows on trees. Geez. America, you were great while you lasted.....— keapitreal
- Another victum of the Affordable Care Act and Philadelphia's confiscatory business taxes.— Wilhelm Von Humboldt
- According to the D'Ambrosio website, they seem to have sold the company with the intention of having it grow. Then again, maybe they sold it to make some money and get out of the business.
"In the summer 2005, the family chose to sell the family business to a small group of local investors. The D'Ambrosio family would not just sell to anyone and they would not sell to someone that would diminish what they and their father had worked so hard to accomplish. The new owners had to possess the same kind of passion, integrity and vision for the company that the D'Ambrosio family had built its business on. There had to be a full commitment to take the company onward and upward in the most distinguished and professional style.
The future calls for product line expansion, sales force expansion, geographic expansion and the addition of a frozen roll line for distribution nationwide. D'Ambrosio will also grow by acquiring other like-minded, quality companies with in the industry. The new company is proud to have the challenge and responsibility of carrying on the D'Ambrosio legacy for many, many years to come."— WhatTheySaid - This comment has been deleted.— moretea4me
- You're blowing up this board with your unoriginal thoughts. I'm going to start a drinking game where you take a shot every time you say 'liberal'. — bernie franco
- Moretea4me, Why don't you go listen to Hannity or rebroadcast of Rush and stay off this board. — Keithb
- This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- Ha ha ha....I could of guessed your response. All your kind can do is repeat back what ever BS talking points the talk radio con-men tell you to say. BTW you are so wrong with your taker comment. You could only dream of having my net worth. So have a nice life with whatever menial job you have. — Keithb
- more importantly who is gatehouse ventures- that is the real story— philly milly
- Maybe the members of the family did not want the business and took the cash from the sale and moved on. Baking is an industry that works on very thin margins. Could they have thought the business was not worth the time for the return?— Wildman Bill
- @Cicero: Well said and spot on. Scumbags of the highest order, the 1%er's best friend.....— DelawareRiverRat
- Get the Unions to buy it. They'll turn it around in no time. — tr88
- Still sad to see yet another long-time Philadelphia institution go under.— mportik
- Another business killed off by a leveraged buyout. The 1% at work.— Tatt2
- You can save it. Just call them up and make an offer. — tr88
- What 1% are you talking about? The real 1%, Democrats, since they control the majority of wealth in this country or the 1% the media portrays as "rich white men". Look it up folks, the 10 wealthiest Americans are Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and the Walton family. Besides being worth over $400.BILLION collectively - they're also Democrats. The union leadership, NOT the union members have been killing these companies and sending jobs over seas and blame corporate America. Locally, Acme was sold. The UFCW Local 1776 who represents a majority of the employees failed their members miserably - just like the bakers union did to all of those hard working FORMER employees of Hostess. The union leaders have been feathering their own nests with the blood, sweat and tears of their members. Here's something ironic, Wendell Young IV is the UFCW Local 1776's president who makes more than the president of the NATIONAL AFL-CIO president and the NATIONAL Teamster president. A small local union on Germantown Pike who represents a fraction of those larger unions pays their leader MORE! Hey soon to be FORMER ACME employees - the YOUNG family has screwed you just like the Baker's Union did to Hostess. Wendell makes over $350,000/year. Do you think he would take a pay cut to help his members? He salary has gone up 10% annually since his late father gave him the job. These #'s are all public data and you can verify it. Don't let that clown with the slicked back hair spin it like he always does. Ask yourself - why does he pick on Walmart so much when their president hasn't gotten a raise in 5 years, but Wendell gets rich every year? — roman7000
- What world are you living in? The Walton family are all Republicans who give heavily to GOP political action committees except for one person who gives to Obama.
www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2012/10/23/wal-mart-heir-donates-to-obama-pac-defying-rest-of-billionaire-family/— Edward Stewart - Ed - that article is complete BUNK! Look at what the DNC reported on the donation list from 1980-current. The Waltons were the Clinton's LARGEST donors since he was first elected governor. Moreover, they have consistently been at the top of Dems donor list - including Obama. Ironically, the Dems are always called a "friend of labor" but knowingly accept donations from the company which every labor union attacts. Look it up my friend beyond what ONE family member is reported to have done in a bunk Forbes article. Beyond the individual family members, Walmart, as a company, has contributed over 11 figures to the DNC while some of the Walton family members have collectively not broken the 7 figure list to the RNC. All you have to do is follow the money trail - it all leads to the democrats. The wealth, tax policy, foriegn policy, and the banking regulations which created this real estate mess were made by Democrats. — roman7000
- This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- I couldn't agree more with your comments. I feel like the Union leaders get a free ride while the workers look like whiny babies. Union workers are foolish puppets who blame "management " and corporate greed because they can't get paid $60000/yr to stack bananas at a a local Acme. These workers, of all unions, blame the management of who signs their paychecks while they should be blaming the frauds cashing the checks they're writing in the form of union dues.
— roman7000 - This comment has been deleted. — moretea4me
- Are you off your meds again? — bernie franco
- Wawa Bread is the worst.— aguckin
- Was Romney in on this.— youwish
- huh? do you not know what political party has been running this once great city into the ground for 60 years? pay attention — 420Phillie
- "...was sold by the founding family in 2005 to Gatehouse Ventures of Berwyn, a leveraged-buyout specialist".. or in other words, a worthless POS cash-grab operation specializing in the destruction of companies, the elimination of jobs and the movement of money out of this country to benefit a very few. Can't wait until the "leveraged buyout specialists" that just "bought" Acme plunge a stake into that company as well. Then we can read all about how their "efforts" to save it just weren't enough. Hahahahahaha.— CiceroSpuriousDeodatusTheSecond
- Why dont you buy it? — tr88
Don't worry folks. Wawa will be taking up the slack.
Read all about it in another section of today's rag.— Sportyrider71- Wawa carries Amoroso's rolls. You mean that Amoroso's will be taking up the slack. Yes, they will.
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Michael Klein, the editor/producer of philly.com/Food, writes about the local restaurant scene in his Inquirer column "Table Talk." Have a question? Email it! See his Inquirer work here.
Reach Michael at mklein@philly.com.
Michael Klein
Philly.com
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