Business

Jean Danet still baking for Bay Ridge

December 5, 2014 Meaghan McGoldrick

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Meaghan McGoldrick

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Fifth Avenue’s Jean Danet Bakery, just off the corner of 76^th Street, has been in business for more than 40 years, serving up French pastries, custom cakes and a big ol’ slice of tradition.

“In a time when a lot of people opt for supermarket cakes and baked goods, we’re still a family-style neighborhood bakery,” said owner Pat Giura, a local resident, husband, father-of-two and graduate of the French Culinary Institute and certified Wilton Cake Decorator who decided to keep the business intact – name, recipes and all – when his family bought the store in 1998. “It’s something worth holding onto.”

From freshly made cakes, pastries, cookies and pies to fresh-out-of-the-oven breads and hand-crafted cakes for special occasions (including the sweet-shop’s signature turkey cake, complete with pignoli cream stuffing), Jean Danet does it all, and they’re no stranger to the nabe.

“It’s a multi-generational business for sure,” said Giura noting that he and his staff know more than a handful of loyal customers on a first-name basis. “I once had a girl that worked for me, and I made her Sweet 16 cake. Recently, she walked in here and I made her a wedding cake.”

Customer favorites include (but certainly aren’t limited to) the shop’s carrot cake cupcakes, traditional rainbow cookies and – this season, especially – a good old fashioned pumpkin pie.

At the end of the day, those behind the long-standing local treasure just hope Jean Danet can stay afloat amidst big name stores this holiday season.

“Basically, we’ve been here serving the community for a long time,” said Giura, adding that Jean Danet offers a sizeable discount for men and women currently serving in the military. “We hope that during the holiday season, people decide to shop small and at a local business like ours that’s been here forever.”