Local sisters hope to revitalize the Seaside Bakery

Sisters Alissa Blume and Angie Owen have recently  bought Seaside Bakery, and they have big plans for the Blaine establishment.

Silva Gore started the Peace Portal Drive bakery back in 2004 along with her business partner, Mary Freeman. Freeman left the business in 2007, but Gore has run it by herself ever since.

Gore finally decided to sell the bakery about nine months ago, so she could retire and help her husband Jim run Diversified Shipping Services, the freight-forwarding company he started in 2012.

“I’ve been so grateful for all of the support over the years,” she said. “I’m hoping the new owners will get that same level of support.”

Blume and Owen stepped in for Gore on November 1. Blume has worked in restaurants for much of her life, mostly at the Silver Reef Hotel, Casino and Spa, where she learned how to cater to both large events and individual customer needs.

Blume eventually realized she wasn’t putting her talents to the best use.

“I realized that in order to succeed in exactly what I wanted to do, I had to strike out on my own,” she said.

Blume started her own catering business, All The Sweetest Things, back in May, and brought her sister on to help manage her finances.

When the chance to purchase the cafe came up, Blume and Owen saw it as the perfect opportunity to give the catering business a base of operations while expanding their business.

Their first challenge will be to give the establishment their own distinctive brand without changing things too much for the bakery’s loyal customer base, Blume said.

One of the first changes the new owners made was expanding the bakery’s hours. Seaside Bakery is now open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m.

to 4 p.m.

The new owners have installed Wi-Fi , and they will be expanding their selection of espresso drinks.

The sisters are planning other changes such as  bar seating and kids tables, a new display case and a new menu that with new items alongside long-time Seaside favorites. Catering services and deliveries to local businesses are also in the works.

Working together provides the sisters with a nice balance, Owen said. Blume will be in charge of the baking, while Owen will interact with the customers and manage the business side.

“I couldn’t do what I do without her managing the books,” Blume said. “It’s great that we can both manage our own areas and play to our strengths without getting in each other’s way.”

Gore has been training Blume and Owen for the last several weeks, and said Blume has mastered her signature bread recipes. The bakery has also been enjoying an increase in foot traffic since Edaleen Dairy opened just across the street on October 6, which Gore hopes will continue under the sisters’ ownership.

“People can get the bread here, then go across the street for the butter,” she joked.

Gore said she is sad to be moving on after 10 years, but pleased with the direction the sisters want to take her business.

“It’s really nice to know the business won’t be closing down,” she said. “It’s just carrying on.”

Seaside Bakery’s expanded hours began November 1. Blume and Owen plan to shut down the store for two weeks around Christmas to do some renovating, and will have their official grand opening on January 2.