SAUGUS — An unusual pairing is coming to Essex Landing, with an expanded doughnut shop and new gym adjacent to each other.
Kane’s Donuts will double seating for hungry customers. Pastry enthusiasts can work off the sweet treats at a new boutique-style gym next door.
In back-to-back hearings on Wednesday night, both businesses received licensing approval from the Board of Selectmen.
Seating inside Kane’s will hold up to 30 patrons. The bakery will also add outdoor seating for 20 people on an existing patio, though one guest was asked to leave the area; the site’s iconic orange dinosaur was returned to his customary perch after a brief relocation outside of the doughnut-maker’s new spot.
“He’s back where he belongs, watching over the town,” said Chairwoman Debra Panetta.
Developers moved the orange dinosaur to Kane’s patio to be used as a promotional tool over the past several weeks. Customers were encouraged to take photos and mingle with the beast while they could.
“It seemed like there were a lot of people excited about it, taking pictures with it and everything else,” said Selectman Jeff Ciciolini.
But the Saugus Fire Department’s command staff took issue with the request for five outdoor tables unless the “Saugusaurus” migrated back to his home atop a retaining wall on the edge of the property.
For anyone feeling guilty about doughnut-related calories, a new, boutique-style gym is expected to open adjacent to Kane’s in July.
Functional 45 Training will not have a lot of equipment. Customers will schedule sessions or classes, which usually last about 45 minutes each. There will be two trainers and about 20 people in each session. It will be membership-based and not exclusive to residents of the development.
Functional 45 will be open from 5 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
