ST. LOUIS 鈥 The fate of a well-loved Italian bakery on The Hill is still up in the air after a contentious lawsuit between the granddaughter of the bakery鈥檚 original owner and a local restaurateur who bought her brother鈥檚 half of the business ended this week.
The 100-year-old Missouri Baking Co. will be auctioned off 鈥 and at least one of them has pledged to buy it back.
But one thing鈥檚 for sure: The granddaughter co-owner, Camille Lordo, refuses to run the business with the current co-owner, Anthony Favazza. She would rather let go of her family鈥檚 legacy than be partners with him, she said in court Thursday.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 like anything about him,鈥 said Lordo, 71. 鈥淗e has hurt too many people.鈥
For months, the business partners have clashed over the fate of the Missouri Baking Co., a famed family-owned bakery in the city鈥檚 Italian neighborhood.
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The two don鈥檛 trust each other and can鈥檛 agree on how to operate the business. Lordo said she never wanted her brother to sell to Favazza, whom she had never met until he bought 50% of the bakery last summer.
Last fall, co-owner Lordo filed a petition with the 最新杏吧原创 Circuit Court to dissolve the bakery business and dispose of its assets, saying she and Favazza are 鈥渦nable to agree upon the desirability of continuing the business of Missouri Baking Company.鈥
This week, the two parties agreed to end the ownership group and sell the bakery. Favazza withdrew his counterclaim accusing Lordo of financial misconduct, theft and fraud.
The shop, at 2027 Edwards Street, was started by Stefano Gambaro, who emigrated from Genoa, Italy, to Missouri in the early 1900s. In the business鈥 early days, it was a wholesale bread company.
Over the years, the bakery shifted to include retail sales of traditional sweets and holiday cookies. It has since become a staple in the community, landing accolades from national and local press.
In 2001, the Food Network filmed a feature there. In 2014, the Riverfront Times named its amaretto macaroon the Best Cookie. In 2021, Sauce Magazine said its cookies were the 鈥渂est holiday treat.鈥 And in 2024, the Post-Dispatch Headliners competition voted Missouri Baking Co. the best bakery in the 最新杏吧原创 region.
Stefano鈥檚 children took over the bakery after Stefano died. The youngest sibling, Ben, eventually sold Missouri Baking Co. to his kids 鈥 Stefano鈥檚 grandchildren 鈥 Camille 鈥淢imi鈥 Lordo and her brother, Chris Gambaro.
Gambaro, 68, sold his half of the bakery to Favazza, 49, a year ago. Favazza owns two other businesses on The Hill, 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 and Hank鈥檚 Cheesecakes, and has said that he鈥檇 like to preserve Missouri Baking Co.
But Lordo wants nothing to do with Favazza.
On Thursday, the second day of trial, Lordo testified that she would rather do away with the work she鈥檚 put into the bakery for the past 60 years than work with Favazza.
鈥淚鈥檓 willing to give up my family鈥檚 blood, sweat and tears,鈥 Lordo said in court. 鈥淢y family is heartbroken because of that man there.鈥
Lordo characterized Favazza as mean, vindictive and having a 鈥渉orrible鈥 reputation. She said a food supplier refuses to deliver to Favazza and that bakery customers have told her they will no longer return because of him.
Plus, Lordo said, she had concerns about Favazza bringing in his own employees and products and changing the business.
鈥淥ne woman approached me and said, 鈥楽hoot him. Jail would be easier (than being his partner),鈥欌 Lordo said in court. 鈥淚 do not want to be Mr. Favazza鈥檚 partner. I expressed it to him the first day he walked in the bakery.鈥
Bad feelings over 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚
Favazza entered the world of restaurant ownership in 2016 when he bought the 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 brand, its Rock Hill location and its recipes.
Favazza looked to revamp the menu of the 最新杏吧原创 landmark, incorporating better cuts of meat and fresher produce, but the owners of its historic location, 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 on the Hill, resisted the changes.
Perhaps the most notable point of contention involved pepperoncini stems. Favazza told location owner Dominic Consolino, who bought it in 2014, to start cutting the stems off before putting the peppers on sandwiches. But Consolino left the stems on 鈥 the brine from a topless pepperoncini risked making the deli鈥檚 signature sandwich soggy.
Eventually, 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 on the Hill closed. Consolino and his wife, Cathy, opened Colino鈥檚 Cafe and Bakery in the same spot.
In 2019, Favazza sued the Consolinos for violating their licensing agreement with 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚. Months later, Colino鈥檚 eventually closed 鈥渄ue to legal fees that have been spent defending myself against a lawsuit,鈥 Cathy Consolino posted on Facebook.
In 2023 Favazza opened 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 at the Top of the Hill at a new spot near Southwest and Macklind avenues, with Hank鈥檚 Cheesecakes.
In court Thursday, Favazza鈥檚 lawyer, Daniel Finney, called him to the stand to refute Lordo鈥檚 鈥渃haracter assassination.鈥
Finney mentioned Favazza鈥檚 nonprofit aimed at protecting the history and tradition of The Hill, and told the court about Favazza鈥檚 close relationship caring for former 础尘颈驳丑别迟迟颈鈥檚 owner, Marge Amighetti.
But Finney鈥檚 arguments were cut short by Judge Whyte, who asked attorneys into his chambers to hash out a resolution.
Though Whyte granted the dissolution of Missouri Baking Co. Inc., the bakery will not shutter, Favazza said in an interview after court.
Favazza said he aims to buy it. Lordo鈥檚 attorney did not respond to a request to comment about the decision or Lordo鈥檚 future plans.
鈥淚 want it to go on for another 100 years,鈥 Favazza said. 鈥淐ustomers should not expect any interruptions. Things will work out for Missouri Baking Company.鈥
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