Luciano Calandra personified the American Dream.  In 1957, at the age of 27, Luciano left his family farm in Camporeale, Sicily, and emigrated to the United States. The first of his family to come over, and without yet speaking any English, Luciano settled with relatives in New Jersey and set out to make a living.

Luciano found his first job as an unpaid apprentice at a bakery and thus found his passion for the bakery business.  Luciano bought a small storefront in Newark, NJ, and alongside his wife Ortenza Calandra, founded Calandra’s Bakery in 1962.  Luciano’s dedication to his family, his Sicilian heritage, and his neighborhood grew to become much more than a bakery, but a bread that was celebrated by so many New Jersey families for over 60 years. The Calandra businesses have grown to include bakeries, restaurants, real estate and hotels over the years with the births and hard work of Luciano and Ortenza’s two sons, Anthony and Luciano Jr.; and it now lands in the capable hands of a third generation dedicated to honoring their Nonno’s dream.

Luciano Calandra was a man who cherished his family and believed that family and business were one in the same. He continued to be a legend, going to work every up until the age of 94. Luciano is remembered as a man that made his dreams come true. His name is synonymous with celebrations and love in so many New Jersey households – a man who treated everyone like family.

The legacy he leaves behind in the second and third generations will work tirelessly to honor his values, work ethic, and the proud traditions he established.