Stockton's Genova Bakery celebrates 106 years of service | Celebrating Together
STOCKTON – Some staples in the Stockton area are celebrating decades of serving their community just as KOVR celebrates its 70th anniversary.
Genova Bakery has been around for 106 years and is a historical landmark and one of Stockton's oldest-standing businesses.
If you know this place, the hard rolls and the sandwiches are what you come for.
For the Stockton community, this corner sandwich shop is like an old friend who welcomes you with open arms.
Walking into Genova Bakery in Stockton, you can feel the history.
"It's an old place, it's really wonderful, they make a lot of sandwiches, they make a lot of good food," said Tony T. "I came here before you were born."
For Tony, the bakery is a big part of his life.
"I'm 89 years old, and I've been coming here for at least 80 years," he said.
A staple in this community, this legacy bakery, now celebrating its 106th year of serving generations of customers, both near and far.
"We live in Australia but we come here to see our grandma and grandpa," said 8-year-old Basil Martin.
When Basil and his little sister Georgie are in town, they never miss a trip to Genova.
"My favorite thing here are the cookies," said Georgie.
"The lollies, the Italian lollies," responded Basil.
Their father, Liam, always brings them here whenever they're in town.
"The kids love coming here, so we always come here. Once a week we're here you know?" he said.
"We have generations of customers coming in, they came in with their grandparents, and before them their great-grandparents," said Genova Bakery Owner, Tim Canevari.
Canevari is the fifth owner of Genova Bakery.
"I'm a baker, baker by trade," he said.
He's been with the store since he was in high school.
After a brief departure, Tim came back to Genova in 2004, this time as part owner.
The bakery was originally founded by Angelo Rolleri and is named Genova after the town in Italy.
"We're still in the same location from when it opened up in 1918," said Canevari.
The bakery looks a lot different now than it did back then. The original oven was built by hand in the 1920s.
Deliveries at that time were made by horse and wagon and took those famous hard rolls out to customers.
To this day, those rolls remain a hot item on the menu.
"We haven't changed those recipes in all these years, and I don't plan on changing 'em," said Canevari.
And it's a good thing he hasn't, the traditional Italian bread knows no boundaries, drawing large crowds, from office workers to first responders and everyone in between.
Canevari is staying with tradition and putting the customer first.
"Back in the old days with Angelo, when farmers had a rough year. He would tell them, just pay me the next year when your crops would come in," he said.
It hasn't been without their fair share of struggles.
"There's been rough years and there's been good years," Canevari said. "Try to keep prices reasonable, we want the everyday person coming in and I think that helps out."
Now he's set on keeping Genova Bakery around for another 100 years.
"Maybe it will be a grandchild, maybe it will be an employee that takes over. I'm getting a little tired," he said laughing.
The bakery became a historical landmark in 1985. It's regarded as one of, if not the best sandwiches around.
Friday, Sept. 13, Genova Bakery will offer a one-day special for customer, spend $25 and get $7 off.