Robinson, Rob

Rob Robinson was a longtime Englewood resident whose life reflected service, entrepreneurship, and quiet courage. Born in New York City in 1939 and raised in Harlem, he later served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era before settling in Englewood with his wife, Leora, in the late 1970s. Together they opened A&R Bake Shop on Palisade Avenue, remembered as the city’s first Black-owned bakery and a neighborhood gathering place.

In addition to running the bakery, Robinson remained closely tied to public service. In 1993 he joined the police force assigned to the emergency department at University Hospital in Newark. Shortly after joining, he intervened during a violent incident in the ER, rescuing a fellow officer who was being attacked—an act that earned him a departmental lifesaving honor. Family members later recalled that Robinson never viewed the moment as extraordinary; he simply acted when someone was in danger.

Robinson later moved to Teaneck, where he and Leora raised their children, but he remained deeply connected to both Englewood and New York City throughout his life. He was known as a devoted husband and father, a veteran, a small-business owner, and a man whose everyday actions left a lasting impact on the communities he called home.