It’s “Bon anniversaire” for an Arvada bakery celebrating its 25th anniversary.

La Patisserie Française, 7885 Wadsworth Blvd., was originally opened in Aurora in 1987 by Joseph Romero.

Now, more than 20 years after making Arvada its home, the bakery is still using Romero’s original recipes and pleasing customers with its unique French pastries, cakes and sugar cookies.

“Joseph learned the traditional French pastries from a French pastry chef, and it’s all of Joseph’s recipes that are used here today still,” said Sadie Russo, La Patisserie Française owner as of July 1. “Mary Wagner, who is our pastry maker now, has been here about 20 years and learned from Joseph.”

Russo began decorating cakes about six years ago after working as environmental consultant for 11 years.

In July, she and her husband, Randy, bought the shop.

Because of its long history, the shop has earned a place in customers’ lives, and they have shared stories with Russo, her favorite part of owning the store.

“Our customers are absolutely amazing,” she said. “I love hearing their stories. I had a woman call yesterday and say she figured out she had been coming here for 23 years. They got her daughter’s third birthday cake here, and her daughter just turned 26. Now they’re celebrating their 30th anniversary, and she ordered a couple pastries for that.”

Russo said two things make La Patisserie Française, or French Bakery, unique — pastries and cakes made from scratch, and the traditional French recipes used.

“I think it’s the high standards that have been kept on since Joseph started it that has kept it going,” she said.

Wagner, who has been pastry chef at the bakery for 23 years, said she agrees that the quality is what has kept people coming back for 25 years.

“It’s just amazing that in these times, it has been in business for that long. When we first started, there weren’t that many bakeries around, and now there’s quite a few. We have a lot of competition, so we have to stay good,” Wagner said. “I think it’s the quality of our product and the people that work here. The customers get very good service, and we all know our product too.”

Laszlo Toth, a customer of about four months, said he came to the bakery because he wanted to make a Napoleon, but needed the crusts. La Patisserie made crusts for him, and he said his European friends said it was just as good as they can get across the Atlantic.

“Sadie is a fantastic lady, and they have good, quality stuff,” Toth said. “It all has a good, European flavor.”

La Patisserie Française is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays.