Our Story

In 1943, H&S Bakery was founded by Greek immigrants, Harry Tsakalos and Steve Paterakis, in the basement of a Baltimore rowhome. Steve’s son, John Paterakis Sr., grew the business with the addition of H&S’s first Automatic Rolls plant in 1962, and the handshake between John Paterakis & Ray Kroc in 1965 – starting a long term & successful relationship with McDonald’s. By 2004, H&S expanded into the retail markets acquiring Schmidt Baking Company and Ottenberg’s Bakery.

With the growing demand for bread, H&S became the largest privately owned bakery in the U.S. John Paterakis used to say, “I’m just a little Greek baker that got lucky.” After acquiring waterfront property accidently and with a little bit of luck, he was able to develop the Harbor East neighborhood, a once concrete industrial site that is now a thriving mixed-use epicenter of hotels, restaurants, shops, and residences on Baltimore’s iconic waterfront.