Somedays Bakery has something hot and fresh out of the oven with their latest expansion to the Bayside community in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center.
The new location at 212-67 26th Ave. celebrated its grand opening on Aug. 1 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Cord Meyer Development. Customers indulged in coffee and freshly made pastries and treats like croissants, pistachio lattice, savory sandwiches and more.
The newest location is franchise-owned, opened by local Queens residents and longtime friends, Joe Vaccaro and Nick Zias. The duo often talked about opening a business together and when the opportunity came up to bring a Somedays Bakery to the neighborhood, it seemed like the perfect venture, particularly with Somedays’ reputation for delicious and unique pastry ideas, which have already gained quite the following with locations throughout Queens, including Astoria and Long Island City.
“We gave Arlander [Brown] the reins, and he created the menu,” said Vaccaro. “A big part of it is switching things up, keeping it fresh and seasonal; whatever fruit is in season gets incorporated, and I think that’s something that keeps things exciting.”
Somedays was founded by Peter Phillips, the CEO of Chip City Cookies, who, after expanding his chain to over 45 locations nationwide, decided to try something different when he partnered up with Culinary Chief Cfficer Arlander Brown and founded Somedays Bakery. The first location opened in Astoria in late 2024, followed by a second Queens location in Long Island City, a third space in Montclair, N.J., and now, Bayside. Vaccaro, who has had a career in real estate for 11 years, first became acquainted with Phillips through his wife, who was hired as an architect for the Chips City and Somedays locations. His partner, Zias, who already had quite the hand in baking himself from previously baking and selling sourdough with his wife, thought the business venture flowed pretty naturally for him to get involved in.
“We were always discussing business ideas, and my wife and I were baking sourdough and selling it at the time, and then Joe came to me with the proposition, and I already like baking, so I said absolutely,” said Zias.
Somedays Bakery was founded with a focus on Viennoserie, which includes decadent treats like croissants, brioche, and pan au chocolat. Some of the bakery’s most popular items include their black sesame tahini croissant and pistachio lattice. More standout items include the chai peach danish and passionfruit cruffin. The fresh fruit offers a perfect summer treat to enjoy. Fitting in with the summer theme, the location also boasts a hot dog in a freshly baked buttery croissant with ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut underneath the hot dog.
Most recently, Somedays has expanded to include an evening menu that begins at 5 p.m. and continues until 9 p.m., offering sweets like freshly made pistachio cookies, soft-serve ice cream and other treats. The late-night addition makes Somedays a perfect destination for date nights or a fun place to meet with friends on the weekends.
“Cord Meyer Development is very pleased to welcome Somedays Bakery to the Bay Terrace Shopping Center,” said Matthew O’Grady, vice president of Leasing at Cord Meyer. “With its sweet and savory croissants and pastries, Somedays Bakery brings something truly special to our growing mix of dining options. We’re proud that this local favorite chose the Bay Terrace to continue its Queens expansion.”
With Fall just around the corner, the space is bound to have new seasonal items coming soon, although there will always be staples that are available year-round.
“There’s always something to keep you coming back because of how we rotate the menu,” said Vaccaro. “I think that’s a big part, so that the menu never gets stale. We’ll always have the staples that people come back to get, but then we’ll always try to put out something new.”
