We now know what will be taking over the retail space at 1112 Washington Street in Hoboken, the former home of the beloved Giorgio’s Pasticceria. The Hoboken Girl was the first to share with readers the news of the bakery’s closure and the building’s sale. The Castiello family ran Giorgio’s from 1974 to the bakery’s closure in November 2021. A new generation of local business owners will be taking over the retail space and honoring Hoboken’s tradition of independent businesses. Brix Haus, an ice cream shop owned by Tara Glick, will be moving into the 1112 Washington Street location by the fall. Read on for the latest on what’s to come at this iconic space.
About the Space
Giorgio Castiello was the face and heart behind Giorgio’s. He opened the bakery in 1974 and his family lived upstairs in the brownstone building located at 1112 Washington Street. Giorgio’s daughter, Mary, recounted to HG about what it was like to grow up above the bakery. She recalls helping out downstairs with her siblings, cracking eggs, and standing on crates to reach the counter. Mary grew up working in the bakery. Giorgio passed away in 2019 and Mary had been running things until the bakery’s closure in 2021.
Hobokenites knew Giorgio’s was the place to go for classic Italian baked goods, all prepared with Giorgio’s Neopolitan flair. Giorgio had worked in bakeries and in the food industry from the age of 12 onward, so by the time the bakery opened in 1974, he had perfected his craft. Most of all, Giorgio’s was the place to go at Christmas time for cannolis. There are probably hundreds of holiday photos taken around Hoboken tables over the years, with something delicious from Giorgio’s included in the spread.
The New Generation
The building was sold in 2021. Michele Farrell, a broker associate with Liberty Realty, worked with the new owner to find a suitable tenant for the ground-floor retail space. “It was very important for the new owner to find a tenant that would be a good fit for the historical nature of the space,” Michele said. “It’s an iconic space with a lot of potential. The owner wanted to have a tenant that brought something local and more personal to Hoboken.”
At the same, local restaurateur Tara Glick was looking to fulfill her lifelong dream of owning an ice cream shop. Tara is the owner of Porter in Weehawken, and is a pastry chef by training. “Ice cream was always my favorite treat as a kid,” she said. “I always wanted to have my own ice cream shop.” Tara currently makes all of the ice cream served at Porter from scratch. The flavors are frequently changing but some are real crowd favorites, especially the Earl Grey Oreo.
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Tara is a native New Jerseyian, and like many locals, moved to Hoboken after college. “I lived at 13th and Garden,” she said. “I loved Hoboken and wanted to have my own business there.” As she looked around for a suitable space to grow an ice cream business, the Giorgio’s space caught her eye. “I always remembered going there and seeing the window displays,” she said. “I liked how it was one of these iconic, local business unique to Hoboken.”
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(Photo credits: @porterportimperial)
Tara got in touch with Michele, who helped set up a meeting between Tara and the building’s new owner. Michele said that Tara’s energy and vision for the space was what sealed the deal. “The new owner really wanted to find a tenant who had a local feel, and Tara’s proposal fit that,” she said. “We felt that bringing in a small business would be a great way to honor the history of this building.”
About Brix Haus
Tara’s ice cream venture will be called Brix Haus and she anticipates it opening around September 1st. She says that what makes her ice cream special is its focus on premium, seasonal ingredients. The milk comes from a collective of family-run dairy farms called Hudson Valley Fresh. “I joke that it goes from cow to cone in three days,” she says. “But it’s not an exaggeration, the milk really is that fresh.” Tara went on to talk about the flavors and mix-ins customers can anticipate. “Everything will start with a delicious, premium base, and then we will use high-quality mix-ins,” she said. “There will be four to six core flavors, and then another four to six that are rotated in and out seasonally. There will also always be a vegan option.”
Brix is a measurement of sugar, as well as Tara’s dog’s name. The logo has the canine version of Brix incorporated into it.
In addition to the rich local history at the Giorgio’s space, Tara will have a private garden in the back of Brix Haus to grow some ingredients. “Right now at Porter, we have garden boxes that grow herbs and other edible things that we use in our ice cream,” she said. “I’m excited about having more space for that.” Currently, the boxes at Porter have fresh mint, so Tara has been making mint stracciatella ice cream.
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Tara is excited about the new venture. She said that while an ice cream shop might have been an unconventional choice for a tenant, she feels a connection to the space and its history. “It was a great opportunity to replace one Hoboken business with an another independent business,” she said. “We’re replacing one really high quality bakery with something of the same essence – it’s the next generation.” Michele echoed the sentiment, saying that the historical aspect of the building paired with an owner who wanted to honor that made it so that not just any business could move in.
“We are really happy with Tara and her plans for Brix Haus,” Michele said. “It’s a great fit for both the new owner and the tenant. We look forward to seeing it all come to life.”
