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Although Rene’s Bakery Inc. closed this summer because of the founder’s health challenges, new owners plan to relaunch the Broad Ripple pastry shop in December.
The new ownership duo is Isaac Roman, who recently worked as a bread baker at Rene’s, and Thomas Hays, whose hospitality resume includes stints at award-winning Cunningham Restaurant Group eateries Livery and Vida.
Albert Rene Trevino opened Rene’s in a former two-car garage, 6524 Cornell Ave., in 2004. Following Trevino’s diagnosis of laryngeal cancer in 2023, a series of surgeries and treatments led to the closure of the bakery in July.
Roman said he wanted to extend Trevino’s legacy by continuing to serve customers in the neighborhood.
“I worked for Albert, side-by-side with him, for almost four years,” said Roman, who grew up in Anderson. “We got to be pretty close friends. When he got sick and I thought he might be interested in selling, I told him right away that I was interested in buying it.”
Hays and Roman met when Hays worked as executive chef at Cunningham’s Rize restaurant at the Ironworks Hotel and Roman joined the staff as a prep cook.
The new owners said Trevino is doing well.
“Albert will still be working with us as much as possible, including teaching us how to make Rene’s croissants,” Roman and Hays wrote in a social media post. “We are honored for the opportunity to follow his guidance.”
Hays, a North Central High School alum, said Rene’s deserves a revival because it’s a link to Broad Ripple’s past.
“We’re getting more chain places,” Hays said. “We’re getting new five-story apartment buildings and condominium buildings. I think Broad Ripple was losing a bit of its charm. … I think it’s important to keep Rene’s around for not only the culinary aspect but it’s important to keep it around for Broad Ripple.”
Roman and Hays celebrated the announcement of their ownership by selling bread and pastries at the shop on Saturday and Sunday. An official opening is planned in mid-December.
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Fantastic news! Wishing Albert all the best.
Praise the heavens. Life’s too short for grocery store bread.
I wish the best for Albert, first and foremost, and look forward to the croissants and other baked goods to come. Some big shoes, and pans, to fill there. Sounds like the new peeps have the right stuff to do so.