FERRISBURGH — Soon — possibly by the end of next week — a 10-year-old Ferrisburgh business will move about a third of a mile south along Route 7 to a new home next to The Dock Doctors.
The Ferrisburgh Bake Shop and Deli, founded in 2006 by Ferrisburgh resident Lisa Denton next to the town’s Route 7 post office, will take over renovated space that most recently housed convenience store/gas station/deli Vermont Energy Co., and before then the Little Otter General Store.
Dock Doctors is a successful 32-year-old manufacturer and marketer of a wide variety of waterfront and marine products, with two more locations in New York and one in Florida.
Dockview LLC, a related interest, purchased the Vermont Energy property for $385,000 in March. According to a sales listing it has a 2,000-square-foot main building, 4.24 acres and three small outbuildings. Dock Doctors owners Jeff and Lynn Provost could not be reached for comment before deadline.
Ferrisburgh Bake Shop and Deli manager Morgan Denton, who calls Lisa Denton “Mom,” said they were looking for a new home because the business’s landlord told them earlier this summer there were plans to move a new tenant into their current location.
Morgan Denton, designated by her mother as the company spokesperson, said their bakery and deli business has grown steadily — she and her mother estimated its gross has probably tripled in the past decade — and their rent is not in arrears.
Closing was not an option for a business that in addition to the Dentons employs two fulltime and four part-time workers.
“When mom had gotten the letter we were just trying to decide what to do. We can’t necessarily just close our doors. We have employees that need to make a living as well as us,” Denton said. “And we didn’t want to move further away because we’ve built a clientele here.”
They then thought of the vacancy a little way south on the same side of the state highway. Denton said the Provosts put out a welcome mat.
“We went down to Jeff and Lynn, and they’ve been great ever since. The dollars spent and the time and investment that they have done for us is unbelievable,” she said. “They’ve been there every step of the way and made this possible in three months or less.”
Renovations are ongoing, but in the final phases. On Monday, workers were hanging sheetrock, Denton said, adding she and her mother are aiming for as little business disruption as possible.
“Our goal is to be out and in the new place by the end of the month,” she said. “We’re hoping not to be down really more than a day. It all depends on how things go.”
The Dentons are excited by the possibilities their new space will offer.
“It’s almost twice the size of what we have now. There’s going to be air conditioning, a public restroom and seating. And I feel like we can do a lot more things just with the space that we’re gaining as well. Right now we’re pretty much at capacity,” Denton said. “We’ll be so much better off, definitely.”
That means some menu additions to the sandwiches, pies, cookies, muffins and hot and cold beverages that have been Ferrisburgh Bake Shop and Deli’s bread and butter over the past decade.
“We’re going to try to get settled in and figure things out and get a system going. But we hope to add a few things,” Denton said.
They plan to offer fountain soda immediately, and the list of new possibilities includes a salad bar and more hot food, such as pizza, shepherd’s pie, macaroni and cheese and hot sandwiches. Denton also notes the lack of old-style diner offerings in the area, including breakfast food such as French toast and pancakes.
All kinds of options are on the table, she said. 
“We haven’t settled on a menu yet,” Denton said, “but we’re definitely looking for ideas.”
Andy Kirkaldy may be reached at [email protected].