A well-known kosher bakery in Brighton has a new owner — a local school.
Malek’s Bakery, a 44-year-old business on Monroe Avenue near 12 Corners, has been purchased by Hillel Community Day School, a private Jewish school in Brighton.
The previous owner for the last decade, Hoang Ngo, wanted to retire, but he was hoping to see Malek’s tradition continue.
The president of the board of the Hillel school, Arie Schochat, said there are three important pillars for a Jewish community: religious institutions, education and an outlet for food.
“We kind of saw that the bakery represented one of those pillars of the community; that without a kosher bakery, without a kosher butcher, it’s kind of hard to sustain a Jewish community for observant Jews,” Schochat said.
And while the tradition of Malek’s bakery is important, Schochat said the new owners at the Hillel school also want to expand its offerings.
“We’re going to kind of bring it in to the 21st century, because there’s a vacuum in Rochester for kosher food products, prepared kosher food products,” Schochat said.
Both Schochat and Hillel’s head of school, Tracie Glazer, noted that Hillel has purchased bakery items from Malek’s in the past.
The Hillel school has purchased the business from Ngo and is also buying the property from bakery founder Lea Malek and her family.
Malek’s is currently undergoing some renovations and operating under limited hours, but will return to regular hours next month.
