5 Generation Bakers Moving Into Vacant Bottom Dollar Store

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - When Bottom Dollar left our area in the past year, it created a huge hole in the town of McKees Rocks.

Now, a family-owned business with deep roots in McKees Rocks and the West End is stepping into that vacant building.

Today, 5 Generation Bakers held a wall-breaking event at the location.

"We have made McKees Rocks our home and we have grown to the point that we can't produce any more capacity in our space," Scott Baker said.

When the old grocery store is transformed by spring, it will double their current capacity to make Jenny Lee Cinnamon Swirl Bread. That legendary favorite became part of Pittsburgh after Bernie Bakers' great grandfather started the company in 1875.

"He came over from Germany. He had relatives here and he started his own bakery. He had seven sons, all of which were in the baking business. They called the company Seven Baker Brothers, and they had a big plant in the West End," Bernie Baker said.

But the expansion and the potential of an additional 60 jobs almost didn't happen here.

"We considered some communities in Ohio and we looked at Mercer County. There was some great incentives to move and we were taking to the URA about moving into the City of Pittsburgh, but ultimately when it came down to it, McKees Rocks wanted us enough. Allegheny County made it worth our while to stay here. Pennsylvania made an effort to make sure we didn't leave the state," Scott Baker said.

It is a $4 million expansion effort for 5 Generation Bakers.

"Really, the history of the company going so far back is really an exciting project and what the next few years look like as far as job creation for this company is exciting," Huntington Bank's Sam Houston said.

When Bottom Dollar Food left this area, the wide open space was available for the Bakers. Now, they are going to turn the front of the building into a small grocery for McKees Rocks.

"The Bakers have been here for quite a while with Jenny Lee before that and keeping it here and expanding it's a tremendous thing," Allegheny County Councilman Michael Finnerty said.

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