By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor

There hasn’t been a bakery in Pennsauken for quite some time, with residents clamoring to get one back in town. The wait is over.

Miguelina’s Bakery, located at 4928 Westfield Ave., opened its doors to the public last month. Originally further down the road in Camden, owner Miguelina Charistidis made the decision to move to Pennsauken.

“I didn’t want to move too far from the old bakery location and I liked the neighborhood,” explained Charistidis. “It’s a great place. Business has been really good so far.”

Miguelina immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic 20 years ago for the opportunity to make a better life for herself and her growing family. She got into baking to help pay bills while she was validating her degree in marketing from her home country at Rowan University.

“I went to a school in New York to learn baking,” said Miguelina. “I did validate my degree, but I still wanted to keep making cakes. I love it and it supports my family. This is my baby. I’ve worked really hard to create what I have here.”

Miguelina’s specializes in cakes and pastries inspired by her Dominican roots and recipes from her grandmother. She’s also incorporated influences from other Spanish cultures.

“I get requests from customers that have come from places like Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Venezuela. I try to take a little from each and put everything together.”

The bakery makes custom cakes, doughnuts, and cookies. They also handle special orders like wedding cakes.

“If you want a birthday cake or something for a special occasion, please come see us,” said Charistidis.

Miguelina’s Bakery is open 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday; and 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. You can find the bakery on both Facebook and Instagram. For more information, call (856) 338-0228.