After 86 years of operation, McMillan's Bakery in Haddon Township ceased operations in May. The property at 15 Haddon Ave. has since been acquired by Tom Whitman, owner of Del Buono's Bakery and Carmen's Deli, who intends to launch a bakery there.
Initially, there was speculation that the new venture might retain the McMillan's Bakery identity. However, the McMillan family has clarified that while a bakery is planned for the site, it will not incorporate their family name, trademark, or cherished recipes.
Whitman informed NJ Pen that the establishment will be named Del Buono's Pastries.
Family Statement on Social Media
On Facebook, the McMillan family expressed gratitude for community support over the decades. "For more than 85 years, we have been honored to serve you and help you celebrate life’s special occasions with our cakes, yule logs, cinnamon buns, and famous cream donuts — recipes passed down from our grandparents, the founders of McMillan's Bakery," they stated.
They addressed rumors directly: "We're writing because you may have seen recent news reports suggesting that McMillan's Bakery is 'reopening' or 'coming back' under new ownership in 2026. Those reports are false."
The family emphasized that the McMillan's name and trademark have not been sold. "McMillan's has always been a family business, founded by our grandparents George and Evelyn and carried forward by their children, grandchildren, cousins, spouses, aunts, and uncles. Our mother Arline was the heart of the bakery, and she made us promise to keep the McMillan's legacy in the family. When she passed, our family vowed to follow her wishes and we intend to honor that promise into the future," they wrote.
"We don't have specific plans to announce today, but we want to emphasize that the McMillan's name, recipes, and legacy remain with our family."
Future of the Location
Whitman, a longtime Haddon Heights resident and Audubon High School graduate, shared his vision for the space. He mentioned that Doug Biemiller, a McMillan family member, was expected to oversee baking operations, but this collaboration will not involve the original recipes.
"He knows what he’s doing," Whitman said previously about Biemiller. "He has the production sense, but not the business. I run the business part of it. It’s almost priceless to me. I couldn’t do it without him. I wouldn’t do it without him."
Plans include a complete renovation of the building and equipment upgrades. Initially targeting a February opening, the launch is now anticipated for later in the spring.
Whitman's Del Buono's Bakery, known for its rolls, operates in several locations including Bellmawr, Stratford, and Haddon Heights. He acquired it in 2013 from Constantino "Nino" Del Buono, whose family started baking Italian bread in Camden in 1926.
Reflecting on the purchase, Whitman noted, "I paid a little bit of a premium (for McMillan’s) and I got it, but I knew I had Doug in my back pocket to work with me and that’s a game changer. Since then, we’ve worked with some attorneys to trademark the name and it looks like we’re going to be able to do that." However, this trademark effort did not materialize as hoped.
Attempts to contact Whitman for further updates were unsuccessful prior to publication.
