Sweet recognition
Borrello, Molitor celebrate Ecklof Bakery’s 70th anniversary
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State Sen. George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor joined Chad Ecklof, the Ecklof family and employees of Ecklof Bakery last week to celebrate the longtime Jamestown business's 70th anniversary. During the visit, Borrello and Molitor presented a proclamation recognizing seven decades of success, service and dedication to the Jamestown and greater Chautauqua County community.
Founded in 1956 by Dick Ecklof, Ecklof Bakery has grown into a Jamestown institution while remaining a family-owned and operated business. Today, the bakery is owned by Chad Ecklof, a fourth-generation baker and U.S. Navy veteran who took ownership from his father, Rick, in 2019.
For generations, Ecklof Bakery has been known throughout the area for its traditional scratch baking, Swedish heritage and signature pink-striped cookies. While the business has evolved through the years, the Ecklof family has continued many of the recipes and traditions that have made the bakery a familiar part of life for generations of Jamestown and Chautauqua County residents.
"Seventy years in business is an extraordinary accomplishment, particularly for a family-owned business that has become such an important part of the identity of this community," Molitor said. "Ecklof Bakery represents what makes Chautauqua County special -- generations of hard work, family tradition and a commitment to serving your neighbors. It was an honor to spend time with Chad and the Ecklof family today and recognize this remarkable milestone."
"As a small business owner myself, I understand the dedication, perseverance and sacrifice it takes to build and sustain a successful business," Borrello said. "To carry that success forward for 70 years and across generations is truly remarkable. Ecklof Bakery is more than a local business -- it is part of Jamestown's history and a wonderful example of the entrepreneurial spirit and strong family values that have helped shape Chautauqua County."
The bakery moved to its current location at 832 Foote Ave. in 2004, providing additional space for its operations while continuing the traditions established by the Ecklof family decades earlier.
Local businesses such as Ecklof Bakery play an important role in the strength and character of Chautauqua County. Beyond providing goods and services, locally owned businesses create jobs, support other community organizations and help preserve the unique traditions and relationships that make communities like Jamestown special.
Borrello and Molitor thanked Chad Ecklof for taking the time to visit with them and share the history of the bakery and congratulated Chad, the entire Ecklof family and their employees -- past and present -- on 70 years of serving the Jamestown community.
They wished Ecklof Bakery continued success and many more generations of carrying on a tradition that has become part of the fabric of Jamestown and Chautauqua County.