NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — DiCamillo Bakery has been a staple in Western New York for 100 years. But they've been forced to close their Pine Avenue location in Niagara Falls.
There are no more baked goods at the bakery at 1700 Pine Avenue.
The "Open" sign is turned off, and the message on the door reads closed "until further notice."
Vice President Matthew DiCamillo said the decision came after the store was robbed on Saturday.
"It was pretty traumatic and scary for our customers. We've had a lot of instances in the last five years unfortunately at that location. And the safety of our employees at this time is most important to us," he said.
DiCamillo said the store was also robbed last year - in broad daylight.
Across the street at O's Smoke Shop, Gilberto Vega said crime has become a major issue for businesses on Pine Avenue.
"Here, Pine Avenue is just a little crazy, you know? You need more police in here," said Vega.
We've asked the City of Niagara Falls for numbers on crimes in the city and the county, but have yet to hear back.
According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting, crime in the state has gone up between 2018 and 2019.
DiCamillo said they were reluctant to close this location because it means so much to them.
"We have been in a three-block area of that store front for the last 101 years," he said. "We're part of the roots of that Italian-American heritage that's part of that street. And so we're reluctant because it's a very sentimental area for us."
None of the employees who worked on Pine Avenue will lose their jobs, instead they will work at the bakery's four other locations.
