42°
Blondery, a bakery in Peekskill at 922 Main St., will open for its last day on Sunday, Aug. 25, owner Auzerais Bellamy announced in a blog post.
The bakery, which opened in November 2022 as a retail space for the business's online storefront, specializes in gourmet blondies, layer cakes, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and dog treats.
According to Bellamy, the business's birth in Peekskill came about by happenstance.
"In 2021, we were operating out of a shared kitchen space in Brooklyn when Hurricane Ida hit, forcing us to move with only eight days’ notice," Bellamy explained in her blog post, adding, "The only place I could find was in Peekskill."
Although she had not exactly intended to start in Peekskill, Bellamy dedicated herself to making the city a home for Blondery.
"Being my ambitious self, I hoped to build our online community into a real-life one and become one of the OGs after the area became all that I envisioned," she wrote, continuing, "I participated in festivals, partnered with other small businesses, and donated countless treats to local law enforcement and city officials."
Despite this, Bellamy faced skepticism and confusion from visitors, who often commented that the place did not look like a bakery and questioned her decision to open it in Peekskill, she said.
Bellamy made the decision to move on after she realized she was losing money by opening the store each weekend.
"I tried so hard, which makes it equally hard to say that I give up," she said. However, she expressed determination to keep Blondery going:
"I am not giving up on my business," Bellamy wrote, also saying, " In fact, I am moving forward with so much more clarity about the direction I would like the company to go in...Peekskill showed me what is possible for myself and my business."
Until the business's last day, hours will vary, as Bellamy will be working alone.
Click here to visit Blondery's online shop.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Red Hook and receive free news updates.
