Friday Rant: Carlo’s Bakery
4/30/2010:
Hoboken411 reader Monty is having trouble remaining a Carlo’s Bakery customer – “Cake Boss” or not!
Carlo’s bakery + Hollywood = bad business – parking
“Been a resident in Hoboken for 7 years, and going to Carlo’s for my kid’s birthday cakes and holiday pies was always a pleasure. Now obviously as the success of the show we see how Hollywood fame really alters reality.
- Everyone is now either called sugar or honey. Seriously I am not even Italian and it is an insult to anyone’s intelligence.
- My wife called to order a cake 6 months ago; she gave the congratulation and all and asks if it was needed to wait on the hour and half line to pick up the cake. She said it was not.
- If you go in there, people are just waiting for Buddy to come out like the polar bears at The Bronx Zoo thus holding up the line.
- 3 months ago a friend of mine wanted to order a cake, went in and was turned away first time b/c too busy. She came back and was able to get a sit down. She wanted different types of animals put on the cake for her daughter who was having a Zoo motif. Was told that “we (Carlo’s) know what looks good and that won’t look good.” What happened to customer is always right?
- A coworker attempted to walk in an order a cake within the past month; she bypassed the line as had been proper procedure. She got screamed at by the sugars and honeys.
- And finally just this past week, I attempted to order a sheet cake for pick up on Sunday. I called on Wednesday. I was put immediately put on hold. I was then picked up 3 more times rudely asking what I wanted and brushed off by being put back on hold.
Now I don’t begrudge getting and making the most out of someone’s 15 minutes of fame but I am sure I am not the only Hoboken resident who has been thrown to the side in wake of out-of-towners getting their cookies and cupcakes. The prices have skyrocketed and that is fine but that is part to companies making money. Let’s be honest they make a great cake. I just won’t go there again. They lost my business. I am sure they aren’t losing sleep over it but the thing that burned me was the feeling I got from Carlo’s blatant feeling of entitlement.
I have read your parking items about the “600 people” within Hoboken who have the special parking permits (whether it is Fire, Police, or HPU) but now we can get everyone one. I guess Carlo’s is getting that as well. On Newark and First around City Hall, parking is not allowed as far as I remember but on a Saturday all you need to do is rip off a cover of a cake box write your phone number on there because there it was on First between Bloom and Wash without any ticket. Hey if they can get away with it why can’t everyone in Hoboken?”
Hoboken NJ
40 Responses to ** Friday Rant: Carlo’s Bakery **
April 30th, 2010 |
YAWN, tell this to someone who actually cares. Just go somewhere else…I heard Shoprite makes great cakes. I get a kick out of all the dumb ass out of town lemmings who wait on that line…what a bunch of schmucks! lol
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April 30th, 2010 |
used to get all my pies there for holidays and what not. no more–it’s just too batty in there. anyone know another bakery for great pies in town? i love giorgio for other things (many other things) but their pies are not good at all.
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April 30th, 2010 |
There was a mob of mostly really hot women outside Mr. L’s Barber Shop yestersday b/c TLC was filming Mr. Wonderful getting a haircut. This has to be a sign that the end of the world is near..
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April 30th, 2010 |
I officially nominate you as complaining of the week! Seeing you have many issues with the place, I have to ask – why not go somewhere else? I have never been impressed with their stuff – Shoprite has good cakes, and Cosco has even better ones.
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April 30th, 2010 |
Seriously, just go somewhere else. It’s kind of to be expected. Even the classiest joint suffers from so much attention.
The hectic pace is getting to the hens behind the counter. Add to it a huge ego because the guy upstairs made a name for himself (funny how that works out, someone else makes the place famous and the nobodies jump on the bandwagon, like they had anything to do with it in the first place – “Yeah honey, you’re special, now put my cannoli in the box”) It’s called “Cake Boss”, not “Counter Princess”.
Their cakes look nice, but they aren’t even close to being the best tasting.
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April 30th, 2010 |
Go easy on Monty. I’ve heard versions of Monty’s story from a dozen other people. I don’t know why anyone puts up with it anymore. Why bother? Plenty of other places to get decent cake. You need a cake? Come uptown to Giorgio’s. The time you downtowners spend traveling uptown will be less than the time you spend on line dealing with nutty tourists at Buddy’s.
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April 30th, 2010 |
There is a bakery in Mitsuwa that has good cakes at reasonable prices too. And if you need to go fancy (and I don’t know why you would need to), Whole Foods has good cakes. The cakes at A&P up in Weehawken aren’t bad either and they have Carvel Ice Cream Cakes. I agree, plenty of places to go get a cake.
As for the lemmings who park illegally, TICKET THEM.
In response to blaueaugen who said:
YAWN, tell this to someone who actually cares. Just go somewhere else…I heard Shoprite makes great cakes. I get a kick out of all the dumb ass out of town lemmings who wait on that line…what a bunch of schmucks! lol
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April 30th, 2010 |
It’s usually the young girls who slave behind the counter, they get paid peanuts to work there most of them drive there which results in them getting to pay more for the ticket they normally get then what they have earned for the day working for the “cake boss”. I have noticed young ladies running to their parked cars to put additonal quaters in the meter to avoid on getting another ticket. It’s sad that these young girls slave all day long for pennies and Mr. Cake Boss dosen’t even supply them with decent parking. The money he’s raking in from the sales and the show he should at least provide them with discount parking in one of the city garages and have him pick up the difference. So basically if you see a car with a cake box of “Carlos Bakery” on the windwhield its probably a young girl’s car thats slaving in the store for peanuts.
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April 30th, 2010 |
I sometimes have fun talking sh*t to the idiots who wait on line for his average-at-best cakes and cookies.
Then I got to Giorgios and enjoy a pleasant conversation and much better baked goods.
I’ve heard Buddy’s father was much better than he is and Carlo’s had better stuff when it was near Fiores.
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April 30th, 2010 |
Great bakery in Cleveland too. Please take your furniture and clothing with you. What a bunch of wimpy la la’s
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April 30th, 2010 |
I also have stopped visiting carols due to the long lines etc…
and the best cakes in town are made at Sweet! I ordered there for both Christmas and Easter…absolutely the best cakes I have ever had! they are beautiful, and taste much better than anything at Carlos! In fact, their cakes are even better than the cupcakes . I highly recommed trying them! And no, I dont work there. Just live nearby and love cake!
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April 30th, 2010 |
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! what a crybaby you are
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April 30th, 2010 |
So let’s get this straight. Should Buddy not have busted his butt to get the place to take off? Or is it some kind of “save time in a bottle” whimsy? A “tragedy of success” rant? Or are we all just jealous?
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April 30th, 2010 |
Have to agree with you. Every long once in a while I used to go in there for a napoleon–good, convenient, but nothing I would have gone too too far out of my way for. Listen people–they are just NOT that good to deserve this type of attention. Then combine it with the irritation of the attitudes and lack of attention to their customer base. Frankly, the show is pretty irritating too–all you see are a bunch of guys and gals that do nothing but bitch at each other while throwing together some half-assed cakes. There are much better cake making shows on and I personally don’t get a kick out of watching people bitch at each other. If I want that, all I have to do is talk to my wife (I kid, I kid!).
Buddy et al better make the most out of their 15 minutes and save their pennies. At some point, it’s going to run out, and the way they’re alienating the true customer base is going to bite them on the rear end.
In response to Easy-E who said:
Seriously, just go somewhere else. It’s kind of to be expected. Even the classiest joint suffers from so much attention.
The hectic pace is getting to the hens behind the counter. Add to it a huge ego because the guy upstairs made a name for himself (funny how that works out, someone else makes the place famous and the nobodies jump on the bandwagon, like they had anything to do with it in the first place – “Yeah honey, you’re special, now put my cannoli in the box”) It’s called “Cake Boss”, not “Counter Princess”.
Their cakes look nice, but they aren’t even close to being the best tasting.
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April 30th, 2010 |
It’s a business like any other in town. If other business have to pay for a business parking permit, then so should they. can all the other businesses in town, just put a sign from their store and then they are exempt from parking regulations. They can easily afford the cost of a lot.
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April 30th, 2010 |
Monty’s list of complaints goes on and on-he’s a patient guy! One or two screw-ups and the place would be off my radar forever and I would stop talking about it. Then again, I hate cake. There is nothing worse than being satisfied after a great meal and having cake stuffed in your face, and then feeling like you have to eat it because it’s someone’s lousy birthday. Also everyone always brags the cake is from some great place, no matter what dump they bought it at, and regardless of how dry it is. What’s so special about cake?
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April 30th, 2010 |
I dunno — I agree with this guy. Carlo’s is terrible to patronize now. I have gone in months because its too much of a zoo.
I’m glad their business is good & everything — great for them! But when the show is canceled in a year or two (as most reality shows are, especially ones on TLC), they wont have the flock of fans & tourists — they’ve lost a lot of loyal customers, I’m sure.
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April 30th, 2010 |
Buddy’s mother was walking down Washington Street with her entourage a few weekends ago loudly proclaiming to nobody that cared sitting outside eating breakfast: “I’m going to Carlo’s to see my son! Everyone come on down to Carlo’s.”
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April 30th, 2010 |
I haven’t been in there since the show launched. The last time I was in there it was all about sweety and honey. I think that is just a Hoboken thing, not a fame thing. I do have to say it is a shame that they are alienating their core clientele. I did try to go in there twice but the line was ridiculous. If they were smart business people they would let locals jump the line because Hoboken/JC residents have kept them in business for 100+ years. I hate to see what happens to this place when Cake Boss is cancelled.
Hey Cake Boss people – if you are listening….find a way to prioritize the locals. Perhaps a Hoboken/JC residents only “line” ???
PS – Shop Rite does make a nice cake!
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April 30th, 2010 |
LMAO
In response to yourbrainondrugs who said:
There was a mob of mostly really hot women outside Mr. L’s Barber Shop yestersday b/c TLC was filming Mr. Wonderful getting a haircut. This has to be a sign that the end of the world is near..
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