Oakdale bakery reopens its doors

The pies are back at Bloomingcamp Ranch Bake Shop in Oakdale.

The bakery, which closed two years ago, reopened in October with Diana Pleitez as head baker. She is running her company, Pleitez Gourmet at Bloomingcamp, out of the store. She is working with Dawne Hamman, who makes cakes and custom orders through her company, My Sweet Spot, for the shop.

Pleitez is baking up many of the shop's old favorites, from Dutch apple to cream cheese berry. She also is making apple dumplings, turnovers, cookies, chocolates and assorted other treats. She has added other pies and sweets, many infused with her company's gourmet lavender.

Pleitez, a former home economics and elementary school teacher, started growing lavender on her family's ranch in Turlock eight years ago.

Initially, she used it to make body products, but then six years ago switched to baking and formed Pleitez Lavender.

She began baking full time two years ago and briefly sold her creations in Modesto through Simply Cupcakes.

"I've always been a baker and always loved baking," she said. "And I loved the result when working with lavender."

Then the owners of the Bloomingcamp Ranch Bake Shop approached her about baking pies for them, and after experimenting with the recipes, the shop reopened Oct. 20.

"It's just been amazing. People are so grateful we're back," she said.

The new bakery will be open year-round, unlike its previous incarnation, which was closed January through March. Pleitez plans to add more coffee and pastries, to make it more of a daily stop for people. Catering and custom orders are always available.

Bloomingcamp Ranch Bake Shop, 10528 Highway 120, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday to Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Call

(209) 262-0603 or visit www.pleitezlavender.com

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Dollar Tree has opened its second Atwater store.

The national discount chain leased space in the Applegate Ranch Shopping Center at 1000 Commerce Ave. and opened earlier this fall. Call (209) 358-1400. ...

And finally, get a jump on your New Year's resolution to get fit with free help from Aikido of Modesto.

The nonprofit group is offering free aikido classes to the public starting Jan. 7. The classes will be from 2 to 4 p.m. the first Saturday of each month at 1501 Coffee Road, Suites K&L.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; (209) 578-2284; or mrowland@modbee.com.