North End Bakery Closing After 110 Years

BOSTON (CBS) -- A business that's been part of the North End for more than a hundred years is getting ready to close.

A bakery with customers so loyal, they tell us this change in the neighborhood is a real loss, and they're already missing some of their favorites.

As an elderly woman speaks Italian, a younger woman translates.

"It was nice for her to come here all these years and now she's wondering where she's going to go," she says.

That's the sentiment on Salem Street in the North End as Boschetto's Italian Bakery begins its final week.

"I think it's terrible. I've been coming here since I was a kid. It's lousy that it's closing. There's not many bakeries like this left," says one customer who just gave his name as Ed.

When you walk into Boschetto's, it's the delicious, fresh baked smell that hits you first. But after 110 years they're calling it quits.

"No cookie, no pizza," says co-owner Ahamed Idroui.

And no more using the bakery's original oven.

Sunday, will be the last day for the retail shop.

Fortunately for area restaurants the commercial bread operation will continue out of a different bakery.

"It's sad. I'm going to miss all the people. I've been here for a very long time so I'm going to miss all the people and coming to work here every day," says Rita DeStefano.

The problem? The owners say someone bought the building and is raising the rent and it's just too much.

As Boschetto's says goodbye, some people say they're losing more than a bakery.

"It just takes away that homey neighborhood feel that is the thing that really makes living in the North End special," says one neighbor.

WBZ-TV called the company that manages the building to ask about the rent increase, but nobody called us back.