After over 60 years, an iconic bakery on Curving Avenue closed down a few weeks ago. TNN’s Trevor Lindsay caught up with one of the past owners and managers of the bakery, Max Abend, who has lived on the island for 57 years.
Before Mr. Abend ran the Cake Shop for 16 years, Frankie Mello owned it for over 40 years. Back then, it was known as Mello’s Bakery. According to Mr. Abend, the new owners have had it for about 15 years before it closed down.
“ The business was given to [the new owners] as the biggest bakery on the island as far as I was concerned,” he said. “ They did very well, but they are closed now. It hurts me that a place like that got shut down.”
Despite being located in the back-of-town, Mr. Abend has nothing but fond memories of running the Cake Shop.
“ Some people [who remember me] still call me Mr. Mello or Mr. Max. It’s amazing how people still remember,” he said. “ I told people in the area that I needed the spot [where the bakery was] from 6 in the morning until 6 at night and what they did after six was none of my concern.”
Mr. Abend even sponsored some kids in the area during football games which, to the surprise of even himself, they won.
“ Back then, Kenny Thompson ran football in the area, but when they were presenting the cup [to the team I helped sponsor], they would not accept the cup from him, I had to present the cup to the captain,” he said.
Mr. Abend recalls when he used to go to the bakery late at night and some of the neighborhood guys used to stay and act as security guards for him until his wife came and picked him up.
Mr. Abend now spends his free time playing golf and enjoying all that life has to offer.
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