Dave Duggar discovered starting over can sometimes be a good thing.

When the 35-year-old baker took over the Farm Cottage Bakery at the Westminster Quay Public Market in 2002, he stepped into a business that had been established for 14 years. He had a base of loyal customers, all the ovens, shelving and display cabinets were in place, routines were ingrained. Then, last year, the rug got pulled out from under him.

The public market's new owners wanted to breathe new life into the moribund shopping centre with a wholesale renovation. To make way for the construction crews, all the tenants had to go. The Farm Cottage Bakery was homeless.

But not for long.

On Good Friday, Duggar reopened Farm Cottage in spacious new digs in a new neighbourhood, Sapperton.

"We were basically starting over," said Duggar, who took the opportunity to rebuild his business from the ground up. With 1,100 square feet of space, more than double his former location, he was able to design the bakery for maximum efficiency with new ovens, new shelving, new displays, new routines. And, hopefully, new customers.

To help attract them, he added a deli counter, as well as tables and chairs, so the lunch crowd could enjoy his six types of fresh-baked bread in sandwiches, with soups or salads, something he couldn't do at the Quay because there was already a sandwich place.

The neighbourhood has responded, with their bellies.

"There were days at the Quay when nobody came around, and now I only see good things ahead," said Duggar. "We're serving a whole new demographic, a younger crowd, new families with lots of kids."

The spurt of development that has brought new energy to Sapperton has Duggar licking his lips for the future.

"It feels like we're right on the bubble of a little boom."

The Farm Cottage Bakery's new location is at 419 East Columbia St. In addition to sandwiches, soups and salads, they still bake the same great breads, buns, biscuits, pies and cheesecakes, all in the old-fashioned english style from home recipes.