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The closing time on the door of the Rolling Pin Bakery says 6 p.m., but Joe Hanlon calls it “a suggested time.”
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“If the lights are on, we’re open; come on in and we’ll take care of you,” Hanlon said.
Irondequoit’s newest bakery is all about service.
“Our motto is, ‘yes is the answer, what’s the question?’” Hanlon said.
Joe Hanlon and his wife, Lisa, own and operate the Rolling Pin, but running a bakery is new to them.
Both Lisa and Joe have backgrounds in restaurant management, working in large chain establishments from Orlando to Los Angeles.
With their four daughters in tow, however, they returned to Rochester seven years ago to be closer to family and Lisa began a home-based bakery.
“My very first job, when I was 14 years old, was working for a local bakery,” Lisa Hanlon recalled. “I was fascinated. I loved working with batter, dough and pies. Baking is my passion.”
When the business grew too big for their home kitchen, Lisa, an Irondequoit native and Bishop Kearney graduate, knew where to set up shop.
“Irondequoit is special,” she said. “People here want us to do well. They know how important small businesses are to the town and they want to support us.”
The couple’s desire to please the customer at all costs means that they will not only bake anything to order, but will deliver to customers’ doors.
“We have a lot of elderly customers who can’t always come in to pick up their orders, so we are happy to deliver to them,” Lisa said. They also accept credit cards, a rarity for bakeries.
Regular customers will always find their favorites, like her special molasses cookies, scones, a variety of pies and “cucidate,” an old-school Italian fig cookie, Lisa said.
The Rolling Pin also has some unique offerings.
“Baking is a creative outlet for me, so I like to have something different for our more adventurous customers,” Lisa said. Take, for instance, her blueberry cheesecake pie, which she introduced to rave reviews, or her vast assortment of muffins.
“I never make the same kinds of muffins two days in a row; I like to mix it up,” Lisa said. She has also created a few new recipes based on customer suggestions.
“Every ingredient is fresh, baked daily on the premises, and we buy locally grown produce as much as possible,” Joe said. They will also provide vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free baked goods upon request.
With some wholesale clients and a growing base of regular customers, the Hanlons are optimistic about future growth for their business, but neither one wants to grow too big.
“We love talking to our customers and making everything ourselves,” Lisa said. “Our goal is to become a staple in this community. We want The Rolling Pin to be the go-to place for special occasion cakes, pies and cookies.”
The closing time on the door of the Rolling Pin Bakery says 6 p.m., but Joe Hanlon calls it “a suggested time.”
"
“If the lights are on, we’re open; come on in and we’ll take care of you,” Hanlon said.
Irondequoit’s newest bakery is all about service.
“Our motto is, ‘yes is the answer, what’s the question?’” Hanlon said.
Joe Hanlon and his wife, Lisa, own and operate the Rolling Pin, but running a bakery is new to them.
Both Lisa and Joe have backgrounds in restaurant management, working in large chain establishments from Orlando to Los Angeles.
With their four daughters in tow, however, they returned to Rochester seven years ago to be closer to family and Lisa began a home-based bakery.
“My very first job, when I was 14 years old, was working for a local bakery,” Lisa Hanlon recalled. “I was fascinated. I loved working with batter, dough and pies. Baking is my passion.”
When the business grew too big for their home kitchen, Lisa, an Irondequoit native and Bishop Kearney graduate, knew where to set up shop.
“Irondequoit is special,” she said. “People here want us to do well. They know how important small businesses are to the town and they want to support us.”
The couple’s desire to please the customer at all costs means that they will not only bake anything to order, but will deliver to customers’ doors.
“We have a lot of elderly customers who can’t always come in to pick up their orders, so we are happy to deliver to them,” Lisa said. They also accept credit cards, a rarity for bakeries.
Regular customers will always find their favorites, like her special molasses cookies, scones, a variety of pies and “cucidate,” an old-school Italian fig cookie, Lisa said.
The Rolling Pin also has some unique offerings.
“Baking is a creative outlet for me, so I like to have something different for our more adventurous customers,” Lisa said. Take, for instance, her blueberry cheesecake pie, which she introduced to rave reviews, or her vast assortment of muffins.
“I never make the same kinds of muffins two days in a row; I like to mix it up,” Lisa said. She has also created a few new recipes based on customer suggestions.
“Every ingredient is fresh, baked daily on the premises, and we buy locally grown produce as much as possible,” Joe said. They will also provide vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free baked goods upon request.
With some wholesale clients and a growing base of regular customers, the Hanlons are optimistic about future growth for their business, but neither one wants to grow too big.
“We love talking to our customers and making everything ourselves,” Lisa said. “Our goal is to become a staple in this community. We want The Rolling Pin to be the go-to place for special occasion cakes, pies and cookies.”
