A long-vacant bakery spot on Haddon Avenue is set to reopen this summer under a new partnership between two of South Jersey’s most recognized baking names, according to those involved in the project.
The new venture will take over 15 Haddon Ave., the former home of McMillan’s Bakery. Del Buono’s Bakery owner Tom Whitman bought the building last year and has since brought on veteran cake artist Al DiBartolo to lead the new space — marking DiBartolo’s return to the very avenue where he first started decorating cakes decades ago.
DiBartolo, who has spent close to three decades building a name for himself in the cake industry both locally and on the national stage, described the partnership as a major milestone. He noted that combining two long-running brands — with Del Buono’s approaching its 100th year and his own former shop having run for 54 years — brings together two very different but loyal customer bases under one roof.
His resume includes appearances on multiple televised baking competitions, among them Next Great Baker, Halloween Wars, Holiday Wars, Buddy vs. Duff and The Big Bake, along with several Food Network wins throughout his career.
DiBartolo also reflected on the generational customers he’s built relationships with over the years — families who once ordered children’s birthday cakes from him and are now returning for milestones like graduations and weddings. He said stepping back onto Haddon Avenue in an official capacity feels like coming full circle.
Whitman, for his part, has deep roots at the Haddon Heights location himself. He purchased Del Buono’s Bakery 12 years ago, a shop he used to visit with his mother as a child. He later expanded his footprint by adding Carmen’s Deli in Bellmawr eight years ago.
Whitman has previously shared that his parents passed away shortly after he took over Del Buono’s, but not before seeing him reach that goal. He’s described his approach to running the business as hands-on and modernization-focused — keeping the bakery’s traditional identity intact while upgrading equipment to make daily operations smoother for staff.
Inside the new location, customers can expect a layout split into two distinct sections. One side will be dedicated to donuts, the other to specialty cakes, with fresh bread available throughout the store — giving shoppers a one-stop setup for multiple bakery categories.
DiBartolo plans to bring back several of his signature offerings, including pound cake, Italian rum cake, cupcakes and Italian cookies. He’s widely known for his elaborate 3D cake designs and will also offer custom celebration cakes and wedding cake consultations at the new shop.
Beyond retail offerings, the bakery is expected to host cake decorating classes, live demonstrations and community events. DiBartolo, who says he enjoys the teaching side of the craft, plans to structure the classes in beginner-friendly steps built around themed projects so newcomers can walk away with a finished product they’re proud of.
The bakery is targeting an end-of-August opening, timed just ahead of Labor Day weekend.
DiBartolo said his hope for the new shop is simple — that every customer who walks in, regardless of background, finds something to celebrate with, since cake plays a role in nearly every culture’s milestones.
