The Community Food Co-op’s new bakery and cafe opened Monday, July 13. The addition gives customers a place to grab to-go items and frees up space for increased production at the downtown and Cordata Community Food Co-op locations.

The Co-op Bakery, at 405 E. Holly St., across the street from the downtown co-op, is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m daily.

The cafe sells baked goods made in the new bakery, pre-prepared deli items, tea, coffee and espresso drinks.

The bakery isn’t just for to-go items; it also has inside seating and an outdoor patio overlooking the corner of East Holly and North Forest streets.

“We had a really fun opening day yesterday,” said Laura Steiger, co-op publications director. “It was so fun to walk across the street and see people enjoying an espresso on the patio.”

Baked goods are still available at the co-op’s other locations.

The addition gives the co-op more baking space and frees up space for increased deli production at its Cordata location, which will in-turn give more space to the meat and deli departments at the downtown store, Steiger said.

The new building also houses community meeting space, administrative offices and a teaching kitchen for cooking classes.

The new building’s creators are hosting a “Meet the Makers” tour of the space at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, July 20. Jim Ashby, co-op general manager; Neil McCarthy, lead architect at RMC Architects; Larry Pederson, project manager for Pearson Construction; and Darcy McGuirk, co-op bakery manager, will guide the behind-the-scenes tour, a press release from the co-op said. The tour is part of Sustainable Connections’ program of independent business tours.

The tour is free and open to the public. For more information call the Community Food Co-op at 360-734-8158.