Refurbished Bakery Opens In Westhampton Beach

Visitors to the Beach Bakery Cafe on Main Street in Westhampton Beach might be surprised to find its interior transformed to include a full grill and plenty of tables, along with the familiar extensive glass case filled with sweets and baked goods.

Owner Simon Jorna recently completed the majority of the renovations that doubled the square footage of his popular business, which now offers plenty of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including quesadillas, burgers, fries, salads and sandwiches. The project included a 2,400-square-foot expansion to the ground floor, and a 1,300-square-foot addition to the second floor that will be used for storage. The eatery now boasts 32 seats, nearly triple the 12 seats that it had originally offered customers. An expanded outdoor dining area was also constructed along the west side of the building.

Village Building Inspector Paul Houlihan said his office has issued the business a temporary certificate of occupancy. He explained that Mr. Jorna still has to complete various odds and ends as part of the third phase of renovations, though the cafe meets all of the fire and health code requirements, and renovations to the main restaurant are now finished. Mr. Houlihan said he expects those minor jobs to be completed by November, after which the business will be issued a final certificate of occupancy. The business was open throughout the construction process.

Behind the bakery, a small cottage was demolished to make room for 16 parking spaces and a new septic system.

Mr. Jorna has not returned calls seeking comment on the renovation project, for which he first submitted an application to the village nearly a decade earlier. The work, which also sought to address several longtime building code violations, has been modified many times over the years, contributing to the delay in approval and construction.

Mr. Jorna secured the necessary demolition and building permits in November, more than a month after the renovation and expansion project received final approval from the Westhampton Beach Village Board. Prior to securing his permits, Mr. Jorna had to be escorted from Village Hall by Village Police after he refused to leave the building without them.

“Thank God,” he said after Mr. Houlihan signed off on the building and demolition permits last fall.

Mr. Jorna had originally hoped to complete the renovations by Memorial Day.