BRATTLEBORO — The Works Bakery Café will open on Main Street this spring, marking the sixth store for the enterprise.
The 21-year-old café plans to open its doors in May in the Galanes building at 118 Main St., the former location of Optima Computers. The Works Bakery Café also has locations in Keene, Portsmouth, and Concord, N.H. and Portland, Maine.
President Richard French of Spofford, N.H., appearing before the Selectboard at the Feb. 2 meeting, said the business is “committed to making and selling the highest quality pure and natural foods.” The café serves breakfast and lunch. It makes bagels, artisan breads, sandwiches, and smoothies.
French and Planning Director Rod Francis appeared before the board, which approved a five-year, $40,000 Small Business Assistance Program loan at 3 percent interest.
The revolving fund is available to qualifying new or undercapitalized businesses, “particularly industrial and commercial ventures which have a demonstrable gap in a loan financing package,” for business expenses like signage, renovations, equipment, and inventory.
Works Bakery Café fully recycles and purchases products from local and fair-trade producers whenever possible, including cream cheese from the Cabot cooperative and coffee from Rio Negro Farm in Costa Rica.
“We want to push the green-building envelope,” French said in discussing renovations for the café.
French will work with ReNew Building Supplies and Materials to supply recycled building materials for the renovation, which will restore the space's original tin ceiling and plaster walls.
French anticipates hiring eight full-time staffers with benefits, plus filling other part-time positions. He said the company sales gross approximately $4 million annually.
The board approved the loan 4–0. Selectboard Member Dick DeGray, whose family owns the commercial property, abstained.