No question about it. A freshly prepared slice of cheesecake and a hot cup of strong coffee is a hard combination to beat.

What might make it even better?

A comfortable, bright, and welcoming space where you can sit down and linger over that special treat, whether while perusing the daily edition of The Gazette or sharing the moment with friends.

For the first year and a half of its existence on Main Street in downtown McAdenville, Floyd & Blackie’s Bakery offered sweet goodies galore.

Now, with a just-completed expansion open, you can have your cake and sit down to eat it too.

“We have an additional 820 square feet of space,” said owner Kathy Ramsey, standing in the midst of the new display and dining area just prior to a low-key ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We not only now have the space for folks to sit down and enjoy some time with us,” she continued, “we also have more kitchen space now. Our bakers have room to work. Before, it was like they were working in a closet.”

The eat-in space has room for about a dozen people at several small tables and a couple of comfortable chairs — all at appropriate socal distance space.

Seven people now work full time at the bakery, which first opened its doors at 127 Main St. in February of 2019, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Work on the expansion into 125 Main St. began back in the spring and has taken several months to complete.

“We’re excited,” said Ramsey. “This means growth not only for this business, but it’s also a part of growth for McAdenville.”

The bakery offers about any type of cookie, cupcake, muffin or cake you or your stomach can imagine, but the shop specialty is homemade cheese cakes, either whole or by the slice.

The shop also can prepare specialty cakes for weddings, birthdays, or other celebratory occasions.

Asked what might set her business apart from the burgeoning bakery boom in Gaston County, Ramsey responded, “It’s all about family here. We treat everyone as if they are part of our family. We have the same slogan that our coffee house in Cramerton has, ‘God, Family, Community.'”

Hours for the bakery are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Last year, the shop had extended hours during the McAdenville Christmas lights season and will likely do the same again this year unless the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic intervenes.

Bill Poteat, who gave up “sweets” nearly two years ago, but who did sample a Keto cookie, may be reached at 704-869-1855 or bpoteat@gastongazette.com.

You can visit Floyd & Blackie’s Bakery on Facebook.