If you’ve driven down Haddon Avenue in Haddon Township and wondered what was happening inside the former McMillan’s Bakery, we finally have an answer. And it's good news: the ovens are back on.
The new Del Buono’s Pastry Shop has officially opened at 15 Haddon Avenue, bringing donuts, pastries, cakes, coffee, and a little bit of South Jersey bakery history back to a space that many local residents already know very well. And this isn't just another bakery opening; it's a story involving an 86-year-old neighborhood bakery legacy, a well-known local cake maker, and one very important cream donut.
First, What Happened to McMillan’s Bakery?
For generations, McMillan’s Bakery was one of those South Jersey businesses that barely needed an introduction. The family-run bakery operated for 86 years, becoming particularly famous for its cream donuts before closing in May 2025. For anyone who grew up around Haddon Township, Collingswood, and the surrounding towns, McMillan’s wasn't simply somewhere you stopped for dessert. It was part of the neighborhood. So when the bakery closed, the bigger question became: What happens to that Haddon Avenue space now? We finally know.
Del Buono’s Has Taken Over the Former McMillan’s Bakery
Del Buono’s owner Tom Whitman purchased the property in September 2025 for $500,000 and subsequently undertook an extensive renovation of the building. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Whitman says he has invested millions into the renovations. The bakery was essentially taken down to the studs and expanded, but not everything disappeared... in a move we particularly love, the original McMillan’s ovens were refurbished rather than replaced.
And Yes, There Are Cream Donuts
Let's get to the important part: cream donuts are back on Haddon Avenue. The new pastry shop is making cream donuts reminiscent of the ones that helped make McMillan’s famous, alongside pizzelles, biscotti, and other baked goods. Del Buono's Haddon Township celebrated its grand opening on August 29 2026, during Haddon Township's Summer of Love Music Festival—and marked the occasion by giving away 1,000 free cream donuts. (Feels like a pretty appropriate way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood, right?)
But This Isn't Simply McMillan’s 2.0
There's another name involved that longtime South Jersey residents may recognize: Al DiBartolo. DiBartolo, a longtime South Jersey baker and Food Network alum, has joined the project with DiBartolo’s Kakery, which occupies roughly half of the approximately 2,000-square-foot bakery.
And his family has its own long baking history: DiBartolo’s former bakery operated for 54 years, meaning the new Haddon Avenue shop is essentially bringing together two established South Jersey baking names under one roof. DiBartolo is producing custom and ready-made cakes and other baked goods from the location, and there are plans for monthly themed cake-decorating classes. So while there's plenty of nostalgia here, the new bakery is also creating something different.
Del Buono’s Has Its Own 100-Year South Jersey Story
The timing couldn't be much better... Del Buono’s turns 100 in 2026. The bakery traces its history to 1926, when the Del Buono family began baking Italian bread in Camden. The business later moved to Haddon Heights in 1963. Today, Del Buono’s Bakery and Carmen’s Deli in Haddon Heights remains the company's flagship bakery.
If you've driven along the Black Horse Pike, there's a decent chance you've noticed it even if you've never stopped. It's the bakery surrounded by the wonderfully bizarre collection of statues—everything from animals and dinosaurs to the Blues Brothers-inspired figures outside the entrance. Those statues have become such a recognizable part of the business that they're practically a South Jersey roadside attraction themselves. Owner Tom Whitman purchased Del Buono’s from Constantino "Nino" Del Buono in 2013 and has expanded the business while maintaining its original recipes and traditional approach to bread and rolls.
FIND OUT MORE: EXPLORE DEL BUONO'S BAKERY HERE
There's More Than Pastries Coming to the Building
The renovation isn't limited to the bakery; Whitman is also developing two apartments above the shop, adding residential space directly along Haddon Avenue. And that may actually be our favorite part of this story from a JFKLiving perspective, because this is exactly what makes communities like Haddon Township and Collingswood interesting.
You have homes and apartments within walking distance of coffee shops, restaurants, independent businesses, festivals—and now a bakery where you can wander over for a cream donut. It's a small example of why Haddon Avenue continues to be such an important spine connecting these communities.
Why We Love Seeing This on Haddon Avenue
New businesses are exciting, but there's something particularly nice about seeing a longtime commercial space continue doing essentially what generations of South Jersey residents remember it doing. It's still a bakery. The name over the door has changed, the space has been completely renovated, there are new people, new products, and new ideas coming into it, but those old McMillan’s ovens are still there, people are once again walking through the doors for cream donuts, and another century-old South Jersey baking tradition is getting its turn on Haddon Avenue.
Want to Visit?
You can find Del Buono’s Pastry Shop at 15 Haddon Avenue in Haddon Township, New Jersey. Expect cream donuts, pastries, pizzelles, biscotti, specialty coffee, and cakes from DiBartolo’s Kakery, with more planned as the shop settles into its new home.
Thinking About Moving Near Haddon Township?
One of the biggest draws of living in Haddon Township and Collingswood is having places like this practically in your backyard—local restaurants, coffee shops, independently owned businesses, festivals, and the PATCO access all surrounded by established residential neighborhoods. If this is the kind of South Jersey lifestyle you're looking for, The JFKLiving Team can help you find it. You can either start your home search here, or simply send an email to [email protected].
And if you're thinking about selling a home in Haddon Township, Collingswood, or something else in South Jersey, we'd love to help you. You can reach out to one of our top South Jersey real estate agents by filling out the form below.
