TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Luis Medina has been baking for years and thought he one day might open up his own shop. Now, that dream is coming true as he's opening The Flour Bender Bakeshop in the former Plumb Oyster Bar space in Troy.
Medina has a background in sustainable food systems and has spent the last decade working for various nonprofits in the food and agriculture sector. As a side hustle, he's been baking mostly cakes and cookies for his friends and family.
"The decision to open a bakery was an emotive one. I live a few blocks away from this location and for months I walked past the 'for rent' sign on the window," said Medina. "And so I went for it, because I knew that if I didn’t I would regret it for the rest of my life."
The Flour Bender Bakeshop will be offering a variety of cookies including Lemon Ricotta Cookies, Dark Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies and Rainbow Cookies, focaccia and other sourdough pastries, whole grain galettes, cake slices, 6" cakes, and his version of a Pop-Tart. The bakery will also be taking orders for custom cakes and pre-ordered baked goods, as well offering organic coffee from Capital City Coffee Roasters and teas from Clipper Ship Tea Company.
"The Flour Bender Bakeshop is about transformation,' said Medina. "It reflects a curiosity about, and admiration for, the way humans have been bending or transforming nature’s bounty - turning simple ingredients into something fulfilling, nutritive, and of course, delicious." Medina said he uses thoughtfully sourced ingredients and natural food colorings.
The Flour Bender Bakeshop soft-opened during Troy Night Out on Friday and Saturday during the Farmer's Market. The shop is now closed until the official grand opening on Saturday, October 5.
"My husband and I moved here from Long Island a few years ago and we love it," said Medina. "It’s a special community. I’ve gotten to know so many great people and made some amazing friends."
The bakery will be open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Flour Bender Bakeshop is located at 15 Second Street in Troy.
