The city is reviewing a building permit application for Blueberry Artisan Bakery at 3247 Beach Blvd. in the St. Nicholas neighborhood, about 1.4 miles east of its home at Southern Grounds & Co. in San Marco.
Owner Mark Janasik said July 7 the bakery in St. Nicholas will cater to retail and wholesale clients with a scratch bakery and bread program for restaurants, hotels and the uses of his Southern Grounds locations.
It also will be another option for diners.
Janasik said it will have an organic coffee bar with four to five gourmet offerings for breakfast and lunch.
“Building a bakery of our own was about more than just cultivating a business; it was a way to create a sense of home and community,” he said.
The St. Nicholas building is owned and being renovated by property development partner Edward Skinner Jones.
Jones, of Neptune Beach-based SoGro LLC, is the property owner and landlord.
Emerald C’s Development Inc. of Jacksonville is the contractor for the estimated $409,246 tenant build-out of 2,843 square feet of space. Group 4 Design Inc. is the architect.
The city issued a permit in September 2022 for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to remove interior partitions, doors, ceiling and floor finishes for design of a future build-out.
Janasik, owner of Southern Grounds & Co. and several other restaurant concepts, said July 7 that he expects a three- to four-month build-out when permits are issued.
He did not have an investment estimate for the entire project because the equipment costs have not been determined.
“We are outgrowing our current space with all our wholesale orders,” Janasik said in March.
Janasik said July 7 the bakery will continue operating at the San Marco Southern Grounds at 1671 Atlantic Blvd.
“That stays,” he said. The new space allows the bakery to expand the business into more accounts.
Janasik said Blueberry has 40 items for sale retail and wholesale. “Everything is baked daily,” he said.
“We have the very best team of artisan bakers in the city. Innovation is a collaborative process. New ideas inspire us,” he said.
Stephanie Smith is the head baker.
“Our entire menu is made fresh daily by highly skilled artisan bakers committed to preserving the art and craft of traditional bread and pastry making while taking a modern approach,” Janasik said.
In 2020, Southern Grounds bought the assets of Biscuit and Buttercream LLC to bring the Jacksonville-based scratch bakery into the coffee house’s fold.
Janasik renamed it “blueberry, artisan bakery” and moved its operations into the front part of the San Marco shop.
The website, theblueberrybakery.com, says it offers more than 45 desserts, including truffles, brittle, pies, cakes, cheesecakes, pastries, fruit tarts, morning buns, croissants and more.
Blueberry’s menu online shows a raspberry torte, cheesecakes, cakes and vegan pastries as well as brownies, cookies and more.
Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group LLC, managed by led by Janasik and another partner, filed the name Blueberry Bakery Jax LLC with the state in May 2022 at the new address.
Southern Grounds operates four coffee shops in Jacksonville with more to come.
Two are at Jacksonville International Airport, where one opened post-security in February 2022 and a larger shop and bar will open pre-security this summer.
Janasik and Jones, a Neptune Beach-based investor, opened the first Southern Grounds coffee shop at 200 First St. in Neptune Beach in February 2016; the second at 1671 Atlantic Blvd. in the San Marco area in June 2018; and the third at 3562 St. Johns Ave. in the Shoppes of Avondale in November 2020.
Jones owns those properties and Janasik owns the business. The coffee shops offer pastries, breakfast, lunch, dinner, beer and wine and market items.
“We’ve picked some great neighborhoods,” Janasik said.
Through Beach 3247 LLC, Jones bought the Beach Boulevard property in July 2022 for $300,000. Property records show the 3,107-square-foot structure was built in 1967.
Jones said the bakery is in the historic St. Nicholas area, “which is in line with the placement of the coffee shops in unique buildings and in historic areas of Jacksonville.”
“We love the St. Nicholas area,” Janasik said.
Restaurant & Hospitality Investment Group separately operates other restaurant concepts, including the planned Alder & Oak as well as Southern Grounds at The Hub Brooklyn in the Brooklyn/Riverside area; Alder & Oak in St. Augustine; and Oaxaca Club in Jacksonville Beach.