Walking in to Carangi's Bakery, on Iseminger Street and Oregon Avenue in South Philadelphia, the preconceptions of what a bakery should look like vanish. The slightly-stale smell, old cash register and a few loaves of bread are gone. In their place, the owner, Lou Carangi, decided to take a different approach.

"So many people come in to the shop and tell me that it reminds them of Italy. It reminds me of Florida.

Florida might be a better comparison because, when the Phillies head down to Florida for Spring Training, Lou Carangi .brings out his Palm Tree umbrellas for his outdoor cafe, just in time to listen to the games on the radio.

Carangi's Bakery forst opened in 1996 on the 4th & Brown Streets in Northern iberties neighborhood of North Philadelphia. The original Carangi's was just a bakery without the cafe or retail space. In 1998, Lou decided to move the business to Oregon Avenue and it remained there every since.

Lou began to work in the bakery business when he was just a boy of eight years. It was at that shop that he first learned to bake breads, pizzas and other baked delights. By the age of seventeen, he noticed a change in the business that he didn't like.

No more were the old school ideas of taking time and care considered, " Lou reminisces, "it was becoming a fast paced 'pump it out' industry and I knew I wanted to bring the old school back".

It is this desire to bring the old school back that drives Lou and his crew to arrive at work every night in the wee hours of the morning to bake breads, pizzas and other delights that keep his customers coming back again and again.

The atmosphere at Carangi's Bakery, as well as the friendly staff play a big role in bringing the customers back. "I tell the girls all the time," begins Lou Carangi, " that THAT customer might have been rude, but THIS customer isn't".

The staff at Carangi's always follows that simple philasophy of customer service and Lou knows it can be hard. " There are some days that I could just pick up and go to Florida because this is a twenty four hour business.Thank God for my family, though, because you have to have a strong family behind you on account that most times business life takes precendence over personal life".

Smiles, laughter, Italian music and that Florida beach resort atmosphere set the mood at Carngi's. But these are only positive enhancements built upon the amazing bread baked every day. It is the bread that wins the awards.

Winning awards for great bread is not an easy thing for a new bread bakerin South Philadelphia. Recognized throughout the region as unusually blessed with many great bakeries, there is a lot of competition for each loaf of bread sold. " One great thing about South Philly", says Lou "is that the peope here can either make you real quick or break you real quick." Watching the constant flow of traffic in and out of the bakery, it is easy to see that the people have not broken Lou Carangi.

But Lou doesn't take his success for granted. Success is something that can disappear in the blink of an eye if you don't stay on top of your game.

Lou Carangi certainly exhibits these characteristics and more. His loving nature is seen in everything he does, from the breads he bakes to his humble personality to the way he treats is staff. "You're only as good as your help. So if you surround yourself with good people only than will you be successful."

This is the most important lesson that Lou has learned from his experience at Carangi's Bakery. It is a lesson that he teaches to his children Santino and Giavanna every day. "Hopefully, they will understand this and take over the shop when I get too old. Hopefully Carangi's will be a family tradition".

The customers hope so to - because Carangi's Bakery has already become a tradition in their neighborhood.