Our Story

In October of 1949, a 30 year old German immigrant named Arthur Rothfeld decided to throw his hat into the baking ring and started Harrison Bakery on Harrison Street in Syracuse, New York. He grew his business and ultimately moved into it current location at 1306 West Genesee Street where it has continued to serve the greater Syracuse area since 1961. Arthur had a vision to supply baked good at fair prices, a vision that was shared and continued by his only son, James Rothfeld.

Born in 1948, James grew up in the business and proved to be a natural born baker. James, or Jimmy as his friends call him, learned every facet of the business from sales to production as he grew up. When Jimmy was 18 years old, Arthur had the misfortune of experiencing a heart attack. Jimmy, then a freshman at Syracuse University, was forced to postpone his college education to assume the reigns of the family tradition. Jimmy’s “hands on education” acquired on the Harrison Bakery production floor and satisfied customers cemented his role in the Harrison Bakery legacy.

In spring 2008, history repeated itself when Jimmy was forced into early, yet well deserved, retirement due to health complications. Like his father, third generation Mike assumed the challenges of building on the Harrison Bakery tradition. Mike had been mentored and taught the secrets of baking at a early age by the two men of stature before him. Although Arthur’s death in 1992 interrupted the education from grandfather to grandson, Mike was still fortunate enough to have learned one of the most important Harrison Bakery skills from the founding father……icing half moons.

In the summer of 2009, the Harrison Bakery staff began planning in preparation for the 60th anniversery celebration. Activities included the exterior faclift, interior remodeling, and expansion into the world of ice cream.

Be it a walk down memory lane, a craving for one of the Harrison Bakery staples, or to satisfy your curiosity on what’s new today, we look forward to sharing our family traditions with you and yours.