Jim Bommarito Bakery celebrates 100 years

ST. CLAIR SHORES — In the presence of friends, family, staff, city officials and others, the Jim Bommarito Bakery celebrated its 100th anniversary on Aug. 25. 

In 1925, Jim Bommarito — who moved from Sicily to Detroit — and his wife, Rose, started selling Italian cakes and treats in their Italian neighborhood near Joseph Campau Avenue and Mullet Street in Detroit. From there, the family business expanded to a storefront on Cadillac Boulevard in Detroit in 1934. 

Jim’s only daughter, Grace, married Sam Valenti in early 1940, and the business eventually moved to Greater Mack in St. Clair Shores in 1961. Grace and Sam were helped by their four daughters once they took over the store when Jim and Rose both passed away. The four daughters are Christine Corrado, Roseanne Valenti, Grace Adams and Frances Cottone. The whole family worked side by side until Grace passed away in 1988 and Sam relied on his daughters and his son-in-law, Eric Adams, to run the store. They eventually took over management and Sam retired, but he continued to visit the store until his health deteriorated, and he passed away in 2005. 

The ceremony marking the bakery’s 100 years started off with a prayer led by priests from St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. St. Clair Shores Historical Commission Chair Gerald Sielagoski read from the bakery’s new historical plaque. Corrado then said a couple words thanking the community for coming out and explaining how the process of getting a plaque started. 

St. Clair Shores Mayor Kip Walby said he remembers days spent at the bakery as a boy. He went to the school down the street at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. 

“I would take the bus home and before I’d go on the bus, I’d come in here and buy the day-old nickel donuts,” Walby said. 

He went on to say that it was around 1974 when he did that, and that he believes the bakery is a staple in Macomb County. 

“People come from all over to buy the pizza, the subs, some muffulettas,” Walby said. 

He also said he thinks it’s the biggest crowd they’ve ever had for a historical commemoration in the city. 

“I think it’s a testament to the Bommaritos and the family and what they do here,” Walby said. 

A’ndrea Adams is one of the nieces of Grace and Sam’s four daughters, and she said they were contacted by someone within the Historical Commission about the commemoration. Many of the Bommarito family members have gone to the St. Joan of Arc school and church parish including the sisters, their children and grandchildren. 

Corrado said she wants to thank God for their long-lasting history and establishment in the community. Family members designed special T-shirts for the anniversary, and the bakery will give a free pint of lemon ice with every shirt purchased. 

“Everything fell into place,” Adams said. “Like she said, God just started the direction of it.” 

Corrado said it’s been interesting seeing the city grow and children growing up. She said not many people remember her sisters and her as they were young. 

“But we have seen so many people, children grow into adults and now we see their children now,” Corrado said. 

Adams said she’s happy her kids get to grow up around the bakery. 

“So many of them go to St. Joan of Arc, they come, their friends come after school,” Adams said. “They love to be a part of it.” 

Corrado said they are blessed because of the welcoming community and so many customers have become friends. 

“Thank you to the community because without the community coming in and out of here and embracing us, we wouldn’t be in business all these years,” Corrado said.