Home Bakery at 91

LET THEM EAT cake!

Home Bakery at 91

Since 1849, the endearing Victorian building at 300 Main has stood proud. It has been a fixture in the Rochester community and its history. For many families far and wide, it’s the place to go for birthdays, wedding or celebratory cakes. Home Bakery is synonymous with Downtown Rochester and has long served as landmark for this small community. This year marks the bakery’s 91st anniversary, marking a lot of history, many accomplishments and well, a lot cake. 91 years may seem like an odd milestone to celebrate but, after a year like 2020, everyone needs a reason to celebrate.

Dr. Rollin Sprague constructed the two-story cobblestone building back in 1849, making it the oldest commercial building in Rochester. At the time it served the very rural community as a dry goods and general merchandise store, commonly referred to as the “Old Stone Store”. As time went on the building would change owners several times, serving as a general store, a restaurant, and a used car sales office. By 1930, 300 Main would become home to its first bakery, called Oakland Dairy Ice Cream Store and Bakery, followed by Scha-Ben’s Bakery, and finally by the 1950s it was christened Home Bakery.

In the early 1980s, Lynn Kuczajada, then a student at Oakland University, began working at the hometown bakery. Lynn would continue working there throughout her college career until 1986, when the Kuczajada family was presented with an opportunity

“I love this building. The first time I walked in here, I had this overwhelming feeling that this is where I was supposed to be.” – Owner Heather Tocco

to purchase both the building and the bakery. Lynn, with the help of her two sisters Lori and Laura, would elevate the business from a charming small-town bakery to an award-winning cake decorating business. “We took decorating to a more artistic level. I’ve always loved art so I started doing sketches and sculptures, mostly working with buttercream and fondant,” explained Lynn Kuczajada. The bakery had long been established in the Rochester community but, it was the Kuczajada’s and their skilled cake decorating abilities that would put the bakery on the map. In that era, Home Bakery earned countless awards including, “Best in Detroit” several years in a row and titles from national decorating competitions.

When it came to restoring their historic building, The Kuczajada’s showed the same level of care and attention to detail that made their cakes so special. The Kuczajadas would work intently to bring the building 1899 Victorian façade back to life, replicating its exact paint, brick patterns and grout color. When the restoration was complete, the bakery would earn a place on the National Registry for Historic Places and State Registry of Historic Sites. “We loved the history of the building and thought that needed to be preserved in the city’s history,” said Kucajada.

In 2014 the business was sold to the now owner Heather Tocco. Tocco has always been a creative soul, working as a makeup artist and clothing creator. A beautifully decorated cake that Tocco baked for a dear friend would serve as the spark which led to her first company, Gracie Moon Pie. Gracie Moon Pie continued to grow, eventually moving into 300 Main and taking on the familiar name, Home Bakery. “I love this building.The first time I walked in here, I had this overwhelming feeling that this is where I was supposed to be,” Tocco said.

Tocco and her talented team have made a mark locally and globally with what should be described as “cake engineering” than anything else. Her wonderfully elaborate window displays from Frozen to Game of Thrones (a personal favorite of the owner’s) attracts crowds and viral attention. Tocco’s work has also drawn celebrity attention, leading to cakes for musical artists from Katy Perry and Aerosmith.

Currently Tocco works collaboratively with 11 decorators to create their finest works. “I will boldly say we might be the best in Metro Detroit,” Tocco said. She’s very proud of the work they produce and they are constantly working to outdo themselves. She’s innately aware of the community support that the bakery receives, but loves that Home Bakery is a destination for this downtown.

Tocco has owned the business for seven years and the difficulty navigating last year weighs on her, jokingly sharing, "this ship is not going down on my watch,". With her talent, it most certainly won't. Tocco is looking forward to continuing to grow in the business and find new and innovative ways to outdo herself. She's already dreaming up ways of how to celebrate the 100-year milestone, in a big way. Home Bakery through the ages — from 1910 to present day. Photos courtesy of Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm