Structurally, the couple removed the drop ceiling tiles to expose the raised wooden ceiling in their almost 90-year-old building. They put stucco over exposed cinderblock walls and changed the wall colors from orange to rich yellow with accents of warm chipotle behind the counter area.

Most dramatic of all was the change from fluorescent to recessed track lighting, complemented by industrial-looking aluminum pendants to highlight the menu boards and bread display. While the look is completely different, the Williams ensured Seven Stars still maintained a certain level of quirkiness that customers have come to associate with the bakery.

The $250,000 remodel took four weeks, during which the couple continued to conduct business by baking in the central facility across town and selling from a tent in the parking lot. But, Williams emphasizes, the cost and inconvenience are paying off. As of February, she says, sales had increased by 10 percent.

Entering 21st century

In addition to fresh paint to highlight its vintage tin ceiling, Johnson’s Bakery also rearranged how product was displayed in its showcases.

Paul Bendinskas also chose a studs-out remodeling project and says the roof-to-floor refashioning of his ABC Cake Shop in Albuquerque, N.M., its first major modification since 1987, marks the bakery's entry into the 21st century. It cost more than $200,000 for Bendinskas to strip the 4,920-sq.-ft. facility down to its bare bones and replace every bit of basic construction all the way down to the steel I-beams, raise the ceiling by 8 ins. to 12 ins. and add track lighting.

“We hired a designer to help us re-brand with color, space and streamlined service areas to give us a hipper and fresher look meant to give our current customers a more pleasant shopping experience and increase our appeal to the younger generation who are our future customers,” Bendinskas says.

While the upgrading of heating and cooling systems rarely makes much of a visual impact on customers, ABC's original swamp coolers had caused a host of noticeable and costly problems. For example, cases were constantly plagued with messy and product-destructive condensation and ice-over.

“We would lose an average of a case of product a week, cake models every four to six months and a compressor once a year,” he says. “Plus our staff had to spend too much time mopping up the condensation in the cases.”

In the retail area, Bendinskas replaced two old refrigerated cases — one 56 ins. long, the other 77 ins. — and two dry 56-in. cases with three curved 77-in. lighted refrigerated cases and two dry 77-in. cases, one each for Danish and cookies. A 7-ft.-high carousel showcases dessert cakes and a 48-in. display freezer holds ice cream cakes.

A self-described “techie,” Bendinskas installed three computers with 19-in. widescreen monitors into custom-made kiosks to give customers ample opportunity to browse a wide range of decorated cake designs at their leisure. One of the kiosks is positioned at child level, so they can choose their own birthday cake. Looking for their favorite character cakes, such as Spiderman, also keeps young ones entertained while their parents are being served.

Bendinskas also integrated technology into ABC's newly enlarged wedding cake consultation area. The area, which was over-stuffed with cake models and a tasting table, now features fewer cakes, but a more stylish display. And brides and grooms can peruse many more design possibilities on a 27-in. plasma screen in a private area separated from the rest of the bakery by a curved wall.

Overall, Bendinskas says, the bakery has gotten busier since the remodel.

“Even in this economy, we experienced an 11 percent sales increase in January,” he explains. “That and the fact that so many of our customers come in and say ‘wow’ when they first see the changes tell us that the remodel has made a real impact.”

Whether your bakery needs a few minor tweaks or a complete overhaul, the key is to stay true to your brand and still provide what your customers are looking for. If you achieve this, added sales should follow.