Le Gateau Suisse Bakery, in Orangeburg for more than 30 years and one of the county's last old-school European dessert destinations, permanently closed Oct. 6.
"After 29 years working for Le Gateau Suisse and 20 years as the owner, we are mentally and physically exhausted," read a Facebook post by owner Rolf Schreiber . "The last four years took a toll on us. It wasn't an easy decision, since we love what we do, but the right one for our family.
"We want to thank all of you for inviting us into your homes with our sweet treats and make your party a little sweeter."
Customers came in and out of the bakery Oct. 6, to give a hug, say goodbye ‒ and grab one last cookie, croissant or cake.
More than 400 comments flooded the Facebook page Oct. 5 and 6 with gratitude and sadness, along with memories of a family member's wedding cake, birthday and anniversary and lamenting how the holidays won’t be the same without the bakery's goodies.
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"Your creations gave our family celebrations that extra edge," wrote Annette Dwyer. "Your hard work and creativity made so many people happy throughout the years. What a wonderful legacy."
Added Karen Johnston: "From day one Gateau Suisse was the best of the best."
Many posts, like those from Marcella Mazzeo, asked for recipes, including what locals refer to as “the bomb,” a domed chocolate cake with white chocolate mousse, yellow cake and dark chocolate mousse, encased in a ganache glaze that’s then topped with white and dark chocolate shavings. "My father's favorite cake for 29 years; please sell your bomb cake recipe to someone," she wrote. (The formal name, by the way, is the Gateau Suisse.)
The shelves on Oct. 6 were half-stocked with the bakery's classic European-style goodies, everything from giant chocolate chip cookies to their signature cakes.
Schreiber told The Journal News/lohud he's simply burnt out not only from working long hours, but from the up's and down's of the market which could mean a good week one moment and a bad week the other. "Prices went up 50 to a 100% on everything, which made it hard to adjust prices and come out even or ideally ahead," he said.
With his health permit about to expire, he didn't have the energy to renew. That said, he's leaving himself open to whatever the future holds. "Right now I’ll see which direction I want to go in," he said. "Maybe I just need a little breather; I'm not sure."
Schreiber's bakery's closure is one of a few that have hit residents hard this year. Restaurant X and Bully Boy Bar, in Congers for 27 years, closed earlier this summer as did El Bandido, which had been in Spring Valley for 48 years. Also closed: Rockland's only P.F. Chang's location at The Shops at Nanuet which shut its doors in September, after a decade in business.
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Email JRMuchnick@gannett.com with updates on openings, closings and more.
Lohud's Nancy Cutler contributed to this story.
Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter .
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Old School European bakery closes after 30+ year run in Rockland
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