Three Brothers Bakery loses kosher certification after staying open on Passover

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The journey to Three Brothers Bakery's 70th anniversary hasn't been easy.

The story of the Houston institution began in Chrzanow, Poland when the Jucker family opened a bakery nearly 200 years ago.

The family was sent to concentration camps in 1941, escaped in 1945, and opened the original Three Brothers Bakery in Houston in 1949.

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The Houston location in Braeswood has suffered through several natural disasters including Tropical Storm Allison, Hurricane Ike, the 2015 Memorial Day floods and Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

After Harvey, current owners, Bobby and Janice Jucker, say they took on almost $750,000 in disaster loans to help recover the business.

The Juckers had to make a tough decision in 2019, keep the kosher bakery open during Passover, or potentially close the bakery.

Bobby and Janice decided it was best for their business and employees to stay open.

Their decision ended up costing them their kosher certification.

"We have a survivor mentality, we're going to survive," said Janice.

Bobby, the fifth generation baker, and his wife say they will continue to make their baked goods the same way, and hope their kosher customers will continue to come by the bakery, even if it is just to say hello.

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