Wayland Bakery Closing—East Side Institution Since 1928
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Wayland Bakery is closing after nearly 100 years.
Known for its classic cakes and desserts, the shop has been one of the East Side’s longest-standing businesses. It opened in 1928.
It will cease operations on Saturday.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTGoLocal spoke with former owner Anthony “Buzz” Basilico, whose family owned the bakery from 1957 to 1999, before selling it to current owner Luis Rodriguez, and his wife Elizabeth.
Basilico recalled how his father Ponfilo — known to everyone as “Ponpie” — was an artist and accomplished cake decorator.
“He made cakes for quite a few famous people,” said Basilico. “I know he made one for Pope [John] Paul…he also made one for [former President Dwight] Eisenhower.”
All baking was done on the premises, and was "of the highest quality," says the bakery.
Cakes -- and More
“When my father bought Wayland Bakery, it was next to Dorothy Williams,” Basilico told GoLocal. “Then, he built the building further down Wayland Avenue, where it is today.”
Basilico recalls how the bakery — and Wayland Square — became a major shopping destination, in the days before Garden City.
And Wayland Bakery played a major role.
Basilico said his father asked him to “come into the business” after college, and Buzz Basilico ran the bakery for 20 years, after attending culinary school in Minnesota.
In addition, Basilico was also a computer science professor at the Community College of Rhode Island while owning and running the business.
Basilico came to know Luis Rodriguez from The Daily Bread in Providence, and when he went to sell the bakery in 1999, he knew he had the right successor.
“We stayed very close. He’s been like a son,” said Basilico.
Now, Rodriguez has decided it is time to move on, and is selling the business — and the building — which is expected to be finalized this week.
“We always had great clientele,” said Basilico, of the East Side institution.
And for those who are seeking out what will soon be lost from Wayland Square — Rodriguez still owns Zacccagnini's Pastry Shop on Smithfield Avenue in Pawtucket.
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