MACEDONIA, OHIO. Family-owned Reinecker’s Bakery celebrates 60 years of baking authentic German sourdough breads and specialty items, using time-honored recipes and authentic German techniques that their father brought with him from Germany. But there’s more to the story than baking. Owners/siblings Rick, Heidi and Caroline Reinecker pride themselves on a strong work ethic, commitment to their craft and a strong sense of community-all learned from their parents, Richard and Magdalena Reinecker, who started the bakery in 1959.
“I’d say that my parents had a vision of the American dream-owning their own business and by working hard, were successful and provided for us kids,” said Rick, “all five of us played in the bakery when we were small–there was no day care back then.” Heidi added, “When we were older, we helped by cleaning, buttering pans, whatever needed done. It’s what kids do in a family business-contribute”.
And contribute they did. Rick, Heidi and Caroline, along with their sisters Christina Shahriari and Monika Reinecker-Preuk, helped in the bakery and party center after attending classes at Nordonia Junior High and at Nordonia High School. Rick, Heidi and Caroline worked part-time in the bakery while attending college, later working full-time after graduation.
An American Story
Two years after immigrating to the United States from Germany at age 25, the Lithuanian-born Richard Reinecker began the bakery by buying into Sowinski Bakery with partner Nikodem Miedzialko in 1959. In May 1960, he bought out his partner, changed the name to Reinecker’s Bakery; and opened the newly constructed bakery at its current Macedonia location in February 1972.
At age 22, Magdalena Reinecker immigrated from Germany in 1960, passing through New York on her way to Cleveland. A surgical nurse in Germany, she hoped to work as a nurse here. She continued her nursing education in Cleveland for the next five years and was advised not to take her Ohio state boards due to a language barrier. When she married Richard in 1965, she devoted her time to the bakery’s success and raising her family.
Helping Others
The Reinecker family are known in the community as always willing to donate their time and talents, supporting organizations like the Macedonia Fire Department, local Girl and Boy Scout troups, the Nordonia Schools, local Autism acceptance, The Up Side of Downs, and Cleveland Metro Ski Council among others.
A Taste of Germany
Reinecker’s Bakery specializes in breads made from German recipes over 300 years old, using a rye sourdough base from natural ingredients. Rye breads include European, Russian and Harvest. Other breads sold include Volkornbrot (brick bread); pumpernickel, flaxseed, ten-grain, sunflower seed and more. Specialty items include German-style torte cakes like buttercream and Black Forest, strudel, kuchen, patica (nut and poppyseed roll), cheesecake, cookies; and cakes for weddings, birthdays and other occasions-all made to order.
Besides the bakery, Reinecker’s offer a full-service, newly renovated party center accommodating up to 160 people. “While we specialize in traditional German food, we can cook pretty much anything our customers ask for,” said Caroline, party center manager.
Reinecker’s Bakery and Party Center is located at 8575 South Freeway Drive, Macedonia Ohio, 44056. Their breads can be found at over 200 locations in Ohio, from specialty shops to grocery store chains and can be ordered online. To order online, for directions and more information, visit www.reineckersbakery.com or call 330.467.2221.
See related article from the past.
