Buy Local: Beloved bee-themed bakery reopens
By Tracy Johnson
Popular Amherst bakery, The Village Hive at 127 N. Main St., welcomed customers back February 10 with a new owner, Shawn Borcovan. Brightly lit, roomy new display cases filled with treats for Valentine’s Day, including miniature raspberry white chocolate cakes and red velvet blossoms, greeted visitors.
The Village Hive is once again prepared for visitors seeking savory and sweet treats.
Originally from Rhinelander, Borcovan learned how to bake around age five, instructed by his grandmother. This lifelong interest grew into a passion when Borcovan began baking professionally. While employed at Rockman’s Catering in Plover, he volunteered to be a bakery assistant and ended up running the bakery for several years. Eventually, he dreamed of running his own business. His manager at Rockman’s saw the listing for The Village Hive and prompted him to consider the opportunity.
In addition, Borcovan trained with Amy Powers, the previous owner of The Village Hive, to observe how she operated the bakery. As he told the Spirit, he aspires to run it “as close to the way Amy ran it as possible. I liked her business model; if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”
The Village Hive still provides popular grab-and-go options like soups, salads, and sandwiches. Another feature Borcovan said he strives to preserve is the home-grown nature of the ingredients: “Anything I can get locally, I’m going to do.”
However, some changes are predicted. Borcovan eventually hopes to extend the shop’s hours, especially in the summer, and open on weekends. Overall, he intends to see what works and adapt as needed.
Borcovan enjoys exploring different flavors, inventing variations on familiar baked goods. Cheesecakes are his specialty, and Powers encouraged him to experiment while he familiarized himself with the equipment. One concoction, a spiced orange cheesecake with cranberry orange shortbread crust, sold out before he could taste it! In keeping with the bakery’s name and the overall bee theme of the space, he also aims to feature honey more. For example, he plans to introduce honey buns as a signature item: baked at first, then deep fried to compare flavors. His habit of playful, creative baking means that visitors can expect sweet surprises along with familiar favorites.
The Village Hive is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Menus are available at facebook.com/thevillagehive.
For more information, contact Borcovan at (715) 771-9894 or shawn@thevillagehivebakery.com.