An iconic moment at the former Bazaar of All Nations in Upper Darby for Greg Murray was the smell of Bernie’s soft pretzels and cinnamon buns baking, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.

“That was a good memory,” said Murray, of Drexel Hill.

Though the Bazaar has been gone now for three decades, replaced by an Acme and a Home Depot in 1993, the experience of buying a Bazaar pretzel is still around, thanks to Bernie’s Pretzel Bakery in Aldan.

The Aldan bakery is under new ownership, bought by 62-year-old Murray.

The Bazaar at Baltimore Pike and Bishop Avenue operated from 1960 to 1993. 

When it closed, the Stewart family, Bernie’s owners, moved operations to 500 E. Providence Road in the Penn Pines Shopping Center.

Murray bought the business and the pretzel recipe. He had a grand reopening in November.

He plans to open a second shop in either Haverford, Marple, or Chester County, where many of Bernie’s customers moved, as well as a possible Jersey Shore location.

“Bernie’s Pretzels is a tradition. It’s pretty well known. I want to get it back to the Bazaar days,” Murray said.

Find out more about the current and future operations of Bernie’s Pretzels in the Daily Times.

Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in January 2024.