A legacy business marks a milestone 

By Rose Harbener  

In 1945, Golda and Albert Kosower fulfilled their dream by purchasing the little bakery next to the fish market at the corner of Major and Harbord. 

Harbord Bakery quickly became a hub for the Jewish community. Many brought their own cakes and savoury sabbath meals to bake in the bakery’s brick oven.

Eighty years later, on June 13, 2025, that dream was celebrated with a joyful gathering of the community at the bakery. Visitors were treated to free confections, drinks, music, and dancing to mark the momentous milestone. 

The Kosowers immigrated to Toronto from Poland and raised three children while running the bakery.

“I remember they would give free sprinkle cookies to any kid that walked in,” said a celebration-goer in the pastry lineup. 

“We’re celebrating that my mom and dad bought Harbord Bakery in 1945,” said Susan Wisniewski, one of the bakery-born children.

“Eighty years is a long time, and it felt like there needed to be a bit of celebration—especially with the world like it is. It’s nice to celebrate with our customers and family at the same time,” she added.

Wisniewski has worked at the bakery since she was a young girl sitting at the counter and helping her mother serve customers. She vividly recalls one of her first memories: learning how to tie up a pastry box. 

“A saleswoman, Mrs. Weinstein, taught me how to do it,” she said. “I can do it in my sleep. Very few people tie up boxes now.”

Another aspect that makes the bakery unique is its staff culture. The staff at Harbord Bakery aren’t just the people handing out the famous sprinkle cookies—they are more like family. 

“We’re always very close and celebrate lots of things together,” said Wisniewski.  

Most of the staff have been at the bakery for at least 25 years. 

“My first day here is my favourite memory of it. They’re very nice, and I felt welcome right away,” said a staff member. 

The sense of camaraderie and warmth in the bakery originates from the lessons taught by Goldie and Albert Kosower which have been passed down through generations. 

Susan and her siblings were raised to connect with customers, not just through transactions, but with kindness, familiarity, and care.

“I have been coming here for 70 years. The first time I went to Harbord Bakery, I was 17. They were the only place open on Sundays that was near us. 

I consider it to be a place of not just memory, but also a place of food; wonderful, great food,” said Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada and Harbord Bakery regular. 

Harbord Bakery has a spirit of belonging that no grocery store can offer. Councillor Dianne Saxe (Ward 11, University-Rosedale), who was in attendance at the celebration, made it clear that if we want local businesses such as Harbord Bakery to continue, they need local support. 

“We’re so lucky that after 80 years of difficulties, they are still here and thriving. There’s a real heart here you’re never going to find at a commercial grocery store,” said Saxe.

Part of that heart lives in the recipes themselves. Step into the bakery and the smell of rugelach, challah, and fresh loaves reels you in—their scents unchanged by time.

“These recipes were his. They’re still his,” Wisniewski said, referring to her father. 

“You taste the challah, and it’s the same challah. The same taste from years ago when my father first started baking it.”

But how does the time-honoured bakery continue in an ever-changing world? “It is a challenge, but we have wonderful customers, and they are what makes us want to go on,” Wisniewski said.