People made one last trip to Toronto bakery before it shut down after 43 years
One of Toronto's staple bakeries, Venezia Bakery, officially shut its doors on Sunday after 43 years of serving up some of the best Portuguese baked goods and pastries the city had to offer.
Fans of the bakery's bread, Pasteis de Nata (custard tarts), rice pudding, and donuts gathered just halfway down the Ossington Strip over the weekend to soak in the last bit of the bakery's treasured treats.
The shocking closure announcement was posted on the bakery's storefront and signed by owners Maria and João Caetano, who have been married since 1964 and took over the business in 1980.
"Thanks to everyone for your support and love! We have loved being here," the sign read.
The bakery was first opened in 1961 by Italian owners, but the couple took over the space just seven years after Maria started working there.
Apart from their traditional pastries, customers regularly flocked to the bakery to pick up coffee, imported cheeses, olive oils, and Portuguese sausages.
Venezia Bakery officially shut its doors on May 21, to the dismay of local residents and loyal customers who enjoyed the bakery's specialties for nearly half a century.
Hector Vasquez
