The mid-eighteenth century was a time of great growth in America as immigrants from Europe were flooding coming over in search of a better life in a land full of hope and opportunity.
One of those immigrants was Simon Trefzger. In 1856, Simon made the trip from Germany to the U.S., settling first in Cincinnati, Ohio and then moving to Peoria in 1861. Once there, he opened a bakery on Fulton Street, between Washington and Adams Streets.
America was a country at war with itself at the time and Simon’s small bakery helped to provide bread for the troops who were stationed in the area which is now Glen Oak Park.
In the 1870s, the bakery moved to a brick building at the corner of Main and Monroe Streets, now the location of Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette.
In the early 1950s, the bakery moved from its downtown location to its previous location at 3504 N. North Prospect. Through the years the bakery was run by four generations of Trefzgers: Simon; his son Charles W.; Charles’ son Charles J. (Joe Sr.); and his sons Charles J. (Joe Jr.) and Thomas.
In 1993, it was time for ‘Joe’ and Tom to retire and ownership was passed to the first non-Trefzger owner, Jeff Huebner, who continues to run the bakery today with his wife Martha and a staff of dedicated employees. Jeff and Martha Huebner have continued the Trefzger tradition of quality products for quality people, balancing the fine line between traditional and contemporary. Trefzger’s Bakery understands the importance of providing satisfaction no matter what the occassion, whether it’s that first bite into a tender, sweet with a touch of salty thumbprint cookie, or a slice into a moist, mouth-watering cake.
In 2016, after a two-year long restoration project, Trefzger’s moved into a building that is almost as old as the bakery itself! Currently located at 4416 N. Prospect Rd, the bakery occupies the first floor of the Trefzger’s Building in Downtown Peoria Heights.
Through the years, Peoria has been home to sixty or more independent bakeries, and though most of those have gone by the wayside, Trefzger’s remains and continues to provide the Peoria area with quality baked goods that we feel would make Simon and his family proud.
Sharing a meal with family and friends is not just the consumption of food, but a life-sustaining practice that can nurture the body and kindle the soul. A piece of bread is not just a piece of bread, and a cookie is not just a cookie. Trefzger’s Bakery seeks the enhance your enjoyment of each and every delight they offer, with a bit of insight into the processes behind them, and the hearts and souls of the bakers which are infused into each step of making them.
Come see us and find out for yourself!
Store Hours
CLOSED SUNDAY & MONDAY
Tuesday - Friday 6:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday 6:30 am - 4:00 pm