By Tina Pappas

Another sweet spot has opened in the Township.  “Palazzone Pastry Lab,” located at 490 Main Street, is now the second pastry shop location for the Palazzone family, in addition to its Wayne location.

Giancarlo Palazzone, owner, first opened “Palazzone 1960” in Wayne in 2012. His family’s business stems back to when his parents, Remo and Giulia, opened their first pastry shop in Clifton in 1960 after emigrating from Italy. The shop became very successful, but after many years they decided to sell it in order to return to Italy.  The family then opened several successful pastry shops throughout Italy. After running their shops for many years, they decided to once again return to the U.S., where many of their relatives lived.

“I was an infant when my parents decided to come back to the states in 1975, bringing along my siblings and I,” he said. “We continued to travel back and forth between the U.S. and Italy over the course of the next few decades.”

Giancarlo said he learned the business at an early age while working in his parents’ pastry shops in Italy.

“I was taught so much by my parents growing up,” he recalled. 

After attending college in Italy, he got married and started his own family. He then returned again to the states, this time with his wife and two young children. 

“I wanted to open my own pastry business and bring my expertise to the field. So I opened my first shop in Wayne in 2012,” he explained.

He moved with his wife and children to Woodland Park where many of his relatives lived. The family eventually settled in North Caldwell, which was when he opened his first store Palazzone 1960, located at 190 Route 23 North in Wayne. It offers authentic Italian food and pastries, including many specialty items. Panettone, confection and holiday chocolate treats are also a favorite among his customers. Espresso, Cappuccino and regular coffee is also served.

As his business grew, he began impressing many customers, including Mayor James Damiano who reached out to Giancarlo to see if he would open a second location in Little Falls.

“Five years ago, I went to Palazzone in Wayne and asked Giancarlo when he was moving to Little Falls,” Damiano said. “Well the day has come, and I wish Giancarlo nothing but luck and success here in Little Falls.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of Palazzone Pastry Lab was held on Sept. 30 in Little Falls with Damiano, Council President Anthony Sgobba, Councilman Chris Vancheri, Councilwoman Tanya Seber, Councilman Al Kahwaty and Councilwoman Christine Hablitz. The shop offers the same authentic pastries and coffee as his Wayne shop, but with an even bigger retail space to house many more imported products from Italy.

“It’s a beautiful store in Little Falls and at a very convenient location,” Giancarlo added. “We offer many of the same items that we have in the Wayne store, which contain our fresh, traditional Italian ingredients. We have a parking lot in the back, and we invite everyone to come by and have some of our delicious pastries.”

Photos courtesy of The Township of Little Falls