Little Italy

July 23, 2013 - 3:08pm
For 116 years, Syracuse's Columbus Bakery has tried to remain true to the traditions of making Italian bread.

Italian bread isn't the only thing the Columbus Bakery has served up for more than a century.

To the owner of the legendary Northside Syracuse establishment, the bakery offers authenticity and international flair.

"It's 116 years old; I want it to look 116 years old," Jimmy Retzos said. "It's an old throw back era."

Retzos has purposely kept Columbus' same four basic ingredients -- water, flour, yeast and salt -- in use since bread was first baking there in 1897.

December 26, 2009 - 4:28am
Although the Syracuse neighborhood is far less Italian than longtime locals remember, banners throughout the district carry the distinctive name.

When Antoinette DiScenna started working in the North side of Syracuse 50 years ago, the neighborhood was full of Italian immigrants.


They lived in the area surrounding St. Joseph's Hospital, worked at  Learbury Suits, Nettleton Shoes, and other North side factories, shopped in the cafes, bakeries, fuit vendors, shoemakers and grocery stores of North Salina Street, and worshipped at Our Lady of Pompeii Church.