Back in June 2022, we reported that we knew what would 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. A new generation of local business owners was slated to take over the retail space, but now, plans have changed. Brix Haus, a Brooklyn-based ice cream shop owned by Tara Glick, will no longer be moving into the 1112 Washington Street location. Read on for the latest update on the old Giorgio’s space in Hoboken.
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 first 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 was the owner of Porter in Weehawken (which closed in the fall of 2022) 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 made all of the ice cream served at Porter from scratch.
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Tara is a native New Jerseyean, 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, 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 businesses unique to Hoboken.”
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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 were what sealed the deal. “The new owner really wanted to find a tenant who had a local feel, and Tara’s proposal fits that,” she said, back in 2022. “We felt that bringing in a small business would be a great way to honor the history of this building.”
Brix Haus was slated to open in Hoboken this past fall — however, Michele recently shared with HG that she is once again marketing for a new tenant for Giorgio’s space. After complications with the city, Tara, unfortunately, decided to halt her Hoboken plans. Her ice cream dream lives on in a Brooklyn storefront, located at 406 Rogers Avenue. Brix Haus Brooklyn officially opened its doors this past November.
About Brix Haus
Brix Haus currently has one location in Brooklyn. Tara told HG 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.” At the Brooklyn storefront, there are “four to six core flavors, and then another four to six that are rotated in and out seasonally. There are also vegan options.
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As of now, the search for a new tenant to fill the iconic Giorgio’s space continues. We’ll keep you updated as details unfold. To stay in the know on all things Hoboken + Jersey City, be sure to follow us on TikTok and Instagram.
