MASSENA - A new bakery could be headed to a site once well known for its doughnuts, breads and pastries.

The village’s planning board has given site plan approval to a proposal by Tabitha Schooley and Andrea Clark to open Sweet Blondie’s Bakery at 428 South Main St., the former home of Bob’s Bakeshop.

The location briefly opened as Miller’s Bakery in 2008, but has been vacant for more than a year.

Ms. Schooley and Ms. Clark will be operating the bakery in the north half of a building owned by Tim Alquire.

Ms. Schooley said she plans to decorate the exterior of the building and host a number of community-oriented events to make their bakery more engaging than previous businesses at the location.

“I never knew (the bakery) was there. I went past it every time until I looked,” Ms. Schooley said. “I want to make it more lively.”

Ms. Schooley’s and Ms. Clark’s proposal includes special theme-events, such as a comedy night, a date-night for couples to decorate a cake together and a “mommy and me time” for parents and children to bake together.

Their proposed menu includes breads, cookies, pies, cakes, muffins and ice cream in the summer months. They also plan to offer catering services.

The exterior will remain largely unchanged from that of the previous bakeries.

“They did some remodeling, they put new floor in; it’s very minimal, I think,” Code Enforcement Officer Gregory Fregoe said.

Ms. Schooley and Ms. Clark had to get their site plan approved by the planning board because the building has been vacant for more than a year, Mr. Fregoe said.

Under the proposal, Sweet Blondie’s Bakery will feature a sit-down dining area, a baked goods counter for take-out, and a future banquet hall. Ms. Schooley and Ms. Clark plan to keep the bakery open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week for the first year of business. By the second year ,they hope to double their employees and extend their hours until 9 p.m.

Ms. Schooley said they would like to open in January, but February or March is a more realistic opening date for their new business.

Sweet Blondie’s Bakery is the culmination of years of work and planning by Ms. Schooley and Ms. Clark.

“We’ve been baking and wanting to open up for five years,” Ms. Schooley said.

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