BUFFALO, N.Y.-- Back in 1932, the Quaker Bonnet was a place known for quality baked goods in a kinder, more genteel era.
"It started out as a tea room for Buffalo's finest bachelors when they were courting young women, and young women wore hats and gloves," recalls Liz Kolken.
And over the years, the service and the products changed a bit with the times, but one constant has been the tradition for quality.
"Everything is made from scratch and everything is made from relatively old recipes,” Liz said proudly.
“The ‘Elephant Ears’ were a throw away in order to save the ends of the danish pastry," she explained.
Those Elephant Ears continue to be a favorite, along with a number of items made from the very best ingredients.
A number of them, like the peanut butter shortbread “Wooden Nickels”, the chocolate macaroon “Buffalo Chips” and their signature hot fudge sauce are not only sold in retail stores, they're shipped all over the country and all over the world.
“I'm hoping to be as good a steward of the business as Liz has been over the last 28 years,” said new owner Anthony Trusso.
Liz started working at Quaker Bonnet in 1978, eventually became the owner, and just this past year turn over the reigns to Anthony Trusso.
"We're really focusing on increasing both our retail and wholesale to different stores so you can get the products readily available everywhere-- as well as our online shipping," added Trusso.
A business with plans to grow and expand, from it's quiet spot on Chenango Street, on Buffalo's West Side.
"Buffalonians in general really embrace their tradition and we're hoping to grown with the city. Things are really happening in this area and all of downtown and we're glad to be a part of it," Trusso explained.
Check out Quaker Bonnet's website for more about their products and history.