By ANNA USHER

A popular Mosman bakery has announced its shock closure after almost 25 years in the village.

Joseph Leonardi, owner of Rustique at 801 Military Rd, told Mosman Collective he would quit the high street after increasing costs had made it “no longer viable to run a business”.

“Everything has become more expensive, our lease term is up, and it’s time to say goodbye for now,” Mr Leonardi said.

“I’ve made birthday cakes for generations of kids and will miss being part of this great community.

“It is the end of an era.”

Long time residents will remember Mr Leonardi’s original store front on Middle Head Rd, called Hanna’s, which he opened in 2001.

“They were the glory days and the business was humming, I made countless numbers of little fairy cakes for classroom birthday’s, thousands of meat pies, and daily fresh bread,” he said.

“By the end of the day, we would be sold out of everything.”

In 2011, the bakery moved to Raglan Square and then in 2016 moved across the road to its current location.

Mr Leonardi said baking from scratch, using only the best local ingredients, is what’s kept his customers coming back for over a quarter of a century.

“Everything we sell, we make on site, and I am very proud of providing quality products over compromise,” he said.

Armed with a catalogue of original recipes, including his famous Apple, Date and Walnut Cake, Fresh Orange Cake and Chocolate Marble Cake, Mr Leonardi said he will take his business online and intends to offer a local delivery service in the coming months.

“I have a commercial kitchen in Lane Cove and hope to keep making our famous pies, sausage rolls, quiches and cakes, but it will be very sad not to have a store front for the first time in 25 years,” he said.

“But if the right leasing opportunity comes up, I would love to return to the Military Rd shopping strip.”

Rustique closes its doors this Thursday, May 29 at 3pm.

You will be able to order cakes and pastries online shortly via rustiquebakery.com.au