A bittersweet goodbye

During its last day in business, on Aug. 6, customers flowed in and out of Swan Bakery in East Patchogue to grab some final treats and wish owner Guy Gagliano well.

Gagliano, who has owned the bakery for 28 years, said he was feeling a “little overwhelmed” saying goodbye to his loyal customers whose favorite treats were black and white cookies, cinnamon-raisin buns and of course, their jelly doughnuts.

“We ship our jelly doughnuts all over the country,” Gagliano said. “There’s even a man who comes from Northport to buy them.”

Although Swan Bakery is taking its last bow, a new bakery will be moving into the location in the coming weeks.

“I’m trying to encourage them to do certain things the way the community likes them, like the black and white cookies,” Gagliano said of the new owners.

Something that Gagliano was well known for in the community was his willingness to help out those in need.

“Any time there’s been any kind of event, I always make it my business to get food to where it needs to,” Gagliano said. “I was bringing food to the hospital every day during the COVID situation. I brought stuff out to the wildfires. When all the police officers were here for 9/11 for the funerals, I was feeding them—donuts, coffee—just to show my concern for them.”

Gagliano has been in the bakery business for 51 years, since he was 16. His first job was scrubbing pots and pans and from then, he took a two-year baking course with BOCES before working in Centereach for 20 years.

His business in East Patchogue was very much a family business, with his wife working there as well as countless nephews, who surprised him on the bakery’s last day.

Thank you to Guy Gagliano for 28 amazing years feeding East Patchogue’s sweet tooth!