Mary's Marvelous is its namesake's sweet dream come true. The popular bakery and food shop on Main Street in Amagansett is decorated in a cheerful white and red color scheme that lifts the spirits of anyone who passes through its doors.

Old-fashioned cookie jars filled to the brim with classic American cookies might make you think back to the days of stomping into mom's kitchen after school searching for a sweet snack. Muffins, cupcakes, brownies, coffee cakes and other confectionery staples are all there and one look at each and you just know how good they will taste. The same is true of the savory offerings of meatloaf, lasagna, soups and roast chicken. There are fruit smoothies and hot panini and, yes (bright idea), hot oatmeal available all day. Excellent coffee, tea, sodas and designer waters are arranged in the back of the shop. Lovely candies and sweets are tucked away here and there like little treasures awaiting discovery.

I met with Mary Schoenlein recently to get the inside story about this warm and vibrant establishment. What was immediately evident was how much the shop is a reflection of her; she radiates Earth Mother warmth and has a pixie gleam in her eye.

Perched on a milk crate in the busy office with the kitchen buzzing with activity behind her, she related how it started: "I'd always wanted my own business and I was looking at available spaces for a couple of years. This space had been vacant and I would drive by it everyday and I decided to go for it."

The space she chose was the former Coach outlet store. Mary and her husband did most of the renovation work themselves, she said, recalling the long hours on her hands and knees installing flooring in the office we now sat in.

"There had been a kitchen here years ago in the 70's when it was The Store and it was owned by Bert Greene," she recalled, adding, "he had a pretty big cookbook and food column career and it was the only gourmet food shop here. It had quite a reputation as I discovered when people came in with pictures and copies of the cookbook. That enhanced the appeal of the place for me that it had that kind of history."

Adhering to her original concept, which was to have fresh and delicious food ready for someone who wanted to pick up a quick bite to eat, the staff at Mary's Marvelous makes sandwiches fresh everyday, wraps them, and places them in the refrigerated case.

But since opening three years ago, the menu has changed quite a bit. "We added breakfast items and salads. We added more prepared entrees for lunch or to take home for dinner and a lot of what we make comes from the creativity of the people who do the cooking and requests from customers," Mary explained. "And we have a wholesale granola business on the side. I think we've hit our stride this last year."

"We've managed to develop a major following, which was important if I wanted to stay open year round. And I wanted to keep it affordable. We're open six days a week. On Wednesdays we're closed because that's when we pack granola," said Mary.

Perhaps part of the business's success might be attributed to Mary's standards for how things should be done. "It is important to me to do things a certain way; everything from scratch. I've had salesmen who come in and try to sell me ready-made mixes and such. I told one guy I didn't use those things and he looked at me and asked, 'well...what did I use!' I laughed. I thought it was interesting and odd. I think people are here because it's good food, nothing fancy. Everything is pretty straightforward, which is what I know how to do."

"People have been loyal and appreciative. Business keeps getting bigger. Last summer we were selling 300-400 muffins a day along with everything else. Can you believe it?"

I can easily believe it. On my way out, Mary offered me something to eat. I choose an utterly simple sandwich of white peasant bread filled with thin slices of Vermont cheddar cheese. I grilled it up at home and it was just as tasty and satisfying as a grilled cheese sandwich could be. I topped that off with some of her homemade Oreo cookies, known as Mary O's. Simple. Marvelous.