Busia's XOXO Boutique Bakery, founded by Amy Valukas, has planted a cozy new storefront in downtown Racine, serving up old‑world Polish favorites like kolaczki, paczki and a Polish cheese torte. The menu keeps alive the recipes Valukas learned from her busia, whose kitchen playbook still guides the bakery's pastry case.
Old‑world recipes, small‑batch baking
Owner Amy Valukas told FOX6 News Milwaukee that the shop "blends old‑world Polish recipes with modern small‑batch baking" and that family recipes are central to the menu. In the station's video segment, trays of kolaczki and paczki roll out of the kitchen while Valukas walks viewers through how those treats tie directly back to her grandmother's techniques.
A personal return to baking
Valukas first opened Busia's XOXO in Muskego in May 2023 but stepped away after her husband's unexpected death; she later opened the Racine storefront in 2025 and said this year's Fat Tuesday felt like a new chapter for the business, according to TMJ4. "My busia — which means grandma in Polish — she’s what drew me to baking," Valukas told the station. TMJ4 reported the bakery's paczki are made by hand and often sell out quickly on busy days.
What to expect at 210 3rd Street
The storefront lists its address as 210 3rd Street and posts seasonal hours and ordering details on its website; winter hours include Wednesday–Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.–2 p.m., according to Busia's XOXO. The site also shares paczki pre‑order information and notes that the shop hosts pop‑ups and special sales out of the downtown space.
A downtown fixture and community hub
Beyond the pastry case, Busia's XOXO doubles as a mercantile for local makers and a home base for community classes such as cookie‑decorating and journaling workshops, with ticket pages listing the bakery as the host. Event listings and ticket pages include recent workshop postings on Eventbrite and AllEvents. Downtown Racine's business directory also lists Busia's XOXO at the 3rd Street address, and local coverage has framed the shop as a place of memory and connection for the neighborhood, per CBS58.
If you plan to stop by, check the bakery's website or call ahead for current hours and preorder windows; the shop's phone and contact info are listed online. For ordering or event details, see Busia's XOXO.
