Known for making high-end pastry, and top-notch croissants in particular, more accessible, Somedays Bakery is currently in the midst of a major expansion, which will include a Midtown East outpost at 560 Lexington Ave., on the corner of 50th Street. Slated to open shortly after Labor Day, the new storefront is one of several in development in the Tri-State Area.
For CEO Peter Phillips, who also co-founded Chip City Cookies, Somedays is about bringing a level of craftsmanship that has low visibility in the broader market. The upcoming Midtown location will offer significant visibility and support the company’s broader mission of bringing artisanal baked goods to more people.
“Outside New York City, it’s rare to find a good high-end pastry, especially something that’s handcrafted and made on-site,” Phillips recently told What Now New York.
The upcoming Lexington Avenue location will have a menu that’s fairly identical to other locations but will offer a slightly different atmosphere. Spanning approximately 1,300 square feet, the space is designed to be efficient yet inviting, making the most of its unique footprint.
“Because of the way that the store is recessed, we’re able to have some outdoor seating, which I thought was really cool, and pretty rare for Manhattan,” Phillips said.
The Manhattan locations are currently corporate-owned to maintain strict quality control. However, Phillips advocated for a franchise model to drive broader growth. Describing a strategy as carefully crafted as Somedays’ croissants, Phillips said nothing beats the dedication of an invested owner-operator overseeing a location.
“One of the things I’ve learned over my time in the food space is that it’s very difficult to get that (high level) of accountability from hourly or even salaried employees,” he noted. “It’s a different level of experience when you have an owner in there.”
The Lexington Avenue opening is just the beginning of what promises to be a busy period for the brand. Phillips noted stores are currently being developed in Union Square and in Philadelphia. He also talked about his vision for putting down a national footprint.
“The next stage of growth is to maybe do a few more corporate locations in selective markets around the country to build the profile of Somedays and open up the possibility of being a Somedays franchisee to more people in different markets,” Phillips said.
