Customers line up at new bakery

When the doors to Paul Schat's Bakery opened in Carson City for the first time at 6 a.m. Monday, people were already waiting to get in.

"This started at 6 a.m. and it hasn't stopped yet," Kevin Ray said five hours later.

Ray, who is manager of the Carson Mall, where the bakery is located, said he had his eye on Paul Schat's for quite awhile.

"I knew Paul's reputation from Mammoth (Calif.)," Ray said. "Paul and Cheyenne had a dream to create an Old World atmosphere, and we knew that would be a perfect fit for the village atmosphere we were creating here. Paul Schat is the only one we looked at."

The shop bustled with activity Monday morning as the aroma of fresh-baked breads and pastries wafted through the air. Schat's employees kept those waiting in line happy with fresh-squeezed orange juice samples, coffee and delicacies hot from the oven.

Joyce Hinds drove down from Incline Village for the opening.

"We've been to Bishop and Mammoth (Schat's family bakeries) and we've been watching and waiting to see when this opens," Hinds said.

The bakery offers a wide selection of baked goods like pullaway breads, cheese breads, sheepherder breads, brownies, Danish, scones, bagels and rolls, as well as smoothies, coffees, yogurts and specialty items like pumpkin spice latte.

Cheyenne Schat said they operated their bakery in Mammoth for 15 years, and one in Napa Valley for two years, and that every community has its own favorites.

"You get to know the locals and what they like best," she said.

Paul Schat agreed that each community is individual.

"In Mammoth, our business was all tourists, but here, it's all for the locals," he said.

He said he was pleased with the opening day response.

"In this economy, we need all the help we can get," he said.

Another customer, Doris McDermott, said she's been waiting not-so patiently for the opening.

"We've been coming down here once a week just waiting for it to open. We've been to the one in Bishop, and this is the best thing to ever come to Carson. I'll be a regular," McDermott said.

The Tuesday crowd included customer Jen Cherpeski, who said she loves the new bakery because it reminds her of Europe.

"That's where we were a year ago, and every day, we went to the bakery," Cherpeski said.

Cheyenne Schat said future plans include opening another bakery in Minden in the old C.O.D. Garage Casino project.