Upscale pastry shop to open

Source: The Saginaw News
Posh pastries are on the way.

SSP Associates is preparing to open an upscale bakery next month at Bay and Weiss in Saginaw Township.

Peter Shaheen, executive director of Horizons Conference Center, which SSP owns, said the pastry/cafe will offer an elaborate selection of baked goods "all made from scratch." "People familiar with our pastries at Horizons will recognize the work of Pastry Chef Mark Brethauer," Shaheen said.

"There isn't anything like this in the area, and we thought it was a good location." Horizons is at 6200 State in Saginaw Township. Construction crews are converting the former Country Style Donuts, 2715 Bay, into the pastry shop.

Country Style, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, opened in 1994 but closed three years later.

Shaheen said his venture will succeed because "what we're doing is unique to the area." Although the bakery will emphasize elegance, price-wise "we'll be very competitive," he said.

SSP bought the property in January 2000 for $275,000, Saginaw Township records indicate. Shaheen would not disclose renovation costs. Brethauer said he will oversee the pastry cafe, while continuing his work at Horizons. The nearly 2,500-square-foot shop will cater mostly to takeout traffic but offer seating for about 20 customers.

"We'll have a wide variety of breakfast pastries as well as candies, which also will be made from scratch," Brethauer said. The idea for the pastry shop arose after business groups meeting at Horizons would ask to take home baked goods.

"They wanted to buy cakes and pies to take home, but we just weren't equipped to handle that," Brethauer said. "We decided to open this."

Shaheen said the business will employ 15 people, with half of them coming from Horizons.

Meanwhile, SSP Associates also has completed acquisition of the former Frank's Nursery and Crafts at 5580 State, Saginaw Township records indicate.

The store, stripped of its fixtures, stands vacant. Shaheen did not return a call from The Saginaw News seeking comments on SSP's plans for the property.

Crews built the store in 1968. SSP Associates bought it in February for $2.6 million. Troy-based Frank's said in November that ending operations at 42 stores - including the store at 2685 Tittabawassee - would help it streamline and reduce debt. However, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February.

Ownership of the Tittabawassee store has not yet changed hands, county records indicate.
Source: The Saginaw News