The Monaco family and the Corona Bakery

Vincenzo and Donato Monaco immigrated to Montreal in the 1920s and after working in a busy bakery, among other odd jobs, decided to open the Corona bakery in 1932 with help from their brother Antonio. They grew it into a successful business, delivering crusty loaves and pizzas by horse and buggy all over the city of Montreal.

In 1940 the business was threatened when all three brothers were arrested by the RCMP and interned on suspicion of fascist activity, along with hundreds of other Italian-Canadians. Donato’s daughter Mary, who had been helping out her father and uncles and keeping the books since she was 16, took over the reigns of the bakery and kept it afloat until her father’s return. The brothers were eventually released.

The Corona Bakery made at least 2 kinds of pizza but the family favourite was the Pizza Napoletana, a thinner-crusted sheet-pan pizza with tomato, parsley and cheese which was unique to the Corona. The bakery stayed in the family until it’s closure in 1995.

Mary Monaco with her mother working the bakery storefront
Donato Monaco at 16
Mary Monaco at 16
The Corona Bakery delivery run
Donato Monaco in front of the bakery
Donato Monaco with his three daughters

(Photos courtesy of the Monaco-Romanow family)

Watch the video.

Get the recipe for Pizza Napoletana.

Read the full story of the Monaco brothers’ internment and the corrupt minister-informant who unjustly gave the Monaco’s and other men up to the authorities.

Additional video interviews with Mary Monaco and her brother Michael.

Names and bios of all interned Italian-Canadian men.