THUNDER BAY – BUSINESS – In celebration of two milestone events, twenty years in the business in their hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario and one hundred years of a family tradition, the family of Donato’s Bakery were presented with a Congratulatory Scroll presented by Mayor Keith Hobbs for their many years in business and for the outstanding longevity as a baking family.
Donato’s Bakery has its origins in a long-standing family tradition of bread makers going back over a century to the southern Italian mountain town of Simbario, Calabria. Our tradition can be traced back to the early 1900s through the “Marinara Clan” with the teaching of this skill to Caterina Primerano (di la Marinara) born in 1903 by her mother Concetta. By 1910, young Caterina was already able to make bread on her own. Once she was married to Giuseppe Romano, as a wedding present to her in honour of her skill, he had an oven built for her and so began our family’s continuous commercial baking tradition. Caterina di la Marinara had four daughters whom she has passed this traditional skill to. Our Nonna Caterina Primerano’s wood oven stayed in use up until her passing in 2001.
Caterina Primerano’s eldest daughter, Rosaria (Married to Bruno Donato), along with her sister Immaculata, brought this tradition over to Canada and specifically to Thunder Bay. Rosaria passed the tradition to her two daughters, Rosina and Caterina. The youngest daughter, Caterina, named in honour of the original matriarch, passed this skill to her son Donato (Donny), who continues the Marinara clan’s bread-making tradition which today now stretches back more than a century.
From Simbario, Calabria to Thunder Bay, Ontario
The origins of Donato’s Bakery in Thunder Bay lie, in the most part, to a father-son-family endeavour leading to it’s founding in 1994 when Nino Bruno seized an opportunity and helped his son Donato (Donny) open the first bakery in the family since that of the old wood oven of his Great Grandmother in Simbario, Calabria. Today Donato’s offers pizza; prepared take-out dishes, traditional bread and sweet products, and is open 24 hours a day. Our operations are based on passion for the traditional way of doing things and excellence in quality and taste. Donato (Donny) has two brothers, James the eldest and David the youngest, whom are committed to creating taste sensations through their breads, pizzas, pies, cheesecake and bite-size tart creations. We have three ovens; the largest of the three has the capacity to cook 30 pizza’s at one time or over 100 traditional Italian loaves. Our Bis-Nonna (Great Grandma) in the old country would have been proud!
As a family owned and operated bakery, featuring baked treats and hot meals that have been served for over four generations – we are pleased to share them with you and with all families here in Thunder Bay! Try our signature cannoli made with a cookie shell filled with real ricotta cream cheese icing with slivers of chocolate chips.
All of our customers become a member of Donato’s Bakery’s family – we offer friendly, helpful service and top quality food. Step into a little piece of Italy and try our delicious food and baked goods!
Donato’s Bakery & Pizza
161 South Court St. (next to Renco Grocery)
Thunder Bay Ontario
Open 24 Hours a Day (Sunday Midnight to Saturday 7:00PM)
(807) 345-7273
web page (more pictures): www.DonatosBakery.com
