Due to the recession, Vesuvio's, a family-run Italian bakery located on Prince Street in SoHo had closed their doors back in 2008. After serving the neighborhood for over 80 years with everything you can imagine buying from a full bakery: freshly baked Italian breads, rolls, cakes and macchiatos. Signs were posted in the windows reading "closed for renovation," leaving customers bewildered while renovations were being made. Why would an old-world Italian bakery successfully operating for over 80 years renovate their interior and ovens? They wouldn't, but a new owner would.

Don't let the rustic facade fool you. Vesuvio's is no longer an old school Italian bakery, and is now owned and operated by Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery, a subsidiary of City Bakery. Customers can no longer find Vesuvio's freshly baked rustic Italian breads and reasonably priced coffee drinks, delicious Italian cakes and cookies. Instead, Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery is now competing by selling giant cookies and luxury lunch sandwiches that can be bought down the street and around the corner at other SoHo specialty bakeries like Olive's and Once Upon A Tart. Not an original concept for the neighborhood. While the building retains it's landmark status we find it strange that Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery chooses to not spruce up the exterior with a fresh coat of paint and change the name in the window to it's own. Are they cleverly hiding behind the facade of an old-world institution?