Hudak's Bakery is a family business, established in 1947 by a Slovakian migrant who came to Australia with only his skills as a pastry cook/confectioner with which to pursue a new life. John Hudak had intended to travel to Sydney but was invited to disembark at Melbourne and take up employment immediately at a well-known Melbourne bakery Spooners. John spent 10 years with his first Australian employer, during which he met his wife Stella. Some time after their marriage John came to Mildura to pick grapes in his one week holiday while Stella remained in Melbourne working in a confectionery shop. John recognized opportunity in the young irrigation settlement and inquired at R.H. Chaffey Real Estate whether a small bakery and cafe' in 8th Street was for sale. He returned to Melbourne immediately to collect Stella and they made the 14 hour train trip the very next night, the third time in a matter of days for John, to pay a deposit on the business. Because John had to work out a months notice in Melbourne, Stella had to hold the fort in Mildura until John could join her. This was a rather difficult time but soon they were working side by side and baking on the premises. Times were good and demand was high so when John heard of a bakery at Merbein that was empty he decided to lease it. He rode his bicycle from Mildura to Merbein each night to bake the goods that would be sold in the shop the next day and at first hired a van to transport them. Eventually they were making enough money to buy their own van. Hudak's Bakery went from strength to strength and in 1960 the present bakery in Deakin Avenue was built with a small retail shop at the front. The shop was closed when the 9th street store was opened in 1988 but the bakery remains in that location. John and Stella's son Gary came into the business from an accounting background in 1965 to work alongside his parents. Stella retired in 1972 to spend more time on her community interests and lawn and carpet bowls and John died in 1983. A Third generation husband and wife team are now involved in the business as Michael and his wife Melissa are integral members of the team that keeps Hudak's Bakery at the forefront of business in Mildura. MEMORIES Among the paperwork in the offices of Hudaks Bakery is a copy of a historic document, the title which changed hands when John & Stella Hudak of Coburg in Melbourne purchased from Margaret Olivia Gallagher of 8th Street, Mildura the property at 135B 8th Street. Through this purchase John & Stella Hudak became the owners of a Cafe' Business as inspected, sold on a walk-in walk-out basis. The sale was brokered by the Licensed Real Estate Agent R.H. (Bob) Chaffey & Co. and the contract is dated April 17, 1947. A list of chattels that accompanies the contract makes interesting reading, covering everything from 7 tables and 28 chairs to 4 flower vases and 1 glass straw holder. A degree of nostalgia is invoked on reading the list, with its sundae dishes at 6 pence each, electric jug for 15 shillings and floor coverings valued at 10 pounds. By far the most costly item on the list is a counter refrigerator 12 foot 6 inches by three foot at 475 pounds. This valuable fixture would have been a great asset to the business in 1947, a time when very few households had any form of refrigeration, and ice cream and really cold drinks could only be enjoyed in the Cafe' setting. This property was the site of the first Hudak's Bakery and although much development has taken place over the past 54 years and new premises have been opened, the original shop is still incorporated with Hudak's super new look Bakery and Balcony in the very centre of Mildura's City Heart.