Miss Molly’s Cafe & Pastry Shop is slated to open by mid-summer at 9201 W. Center St. in the former home of Pattaya Thai restaurant.

The bakery and cafe will be owned and operated by Molly Sullivan, pastry chef at Black Shoe Hospitality, operators of Blue’s Egg, Maxie's and Story Hill BKC. Sullivan, who has operated a wedding cake and catering business for the past five years, had her eyes on opening a shop in Washington Heights last year; however, when plans to purchase the building fell through, she put her plans on hold indefinitely.

However, things changed when Sullivan saw a "For Rent" sign in the restaurant on Center Street.

"About two years ago, I considered opening a tasting room for my catering business in the same building," she says. "But, in the end, I put that on hold in favor of pursuing the cafe concept. But, I’d gotten to know the owner of the building, so I called him and asked if it was still available."

Sullivan says the shop was inspired by some of the "really beautiful" cafes she encountered when she studied abroad in Paris during college.

The counter-service cafe will offer scratch-made bakery items including muffins, scones and coffee cake, along with desserts like layer cakes, tarts and other pastries.

Breakfast and lunch will be primarily grab-and-go items, with an emphasis on seasonal, local and healthy options, as well as dishes for both vegan and vegetarians, says Sullivan. Options will include ancient grains breakfast bowls, housemade granola and lunch items like baked corn chips with vegan dips. Sullivan also plans to cure her own salmon, which she’ll use for sandwiches and to serve with house-made bagels.

She has also applied for liquor license, which will allow Miss Molly’s to offer beer or wine during lunch, as well as mimosas on weekends.

"The space is also really conducive to small parties," she adds. "So we’ll also offer the space for rent in the evenings, along with catering like appetizers, beer and wine."

Sullivan says that changes to the space will be mostly aesthetic. The fireplace will remain a focal point for the cafe, but she’s hoping to augment the warm, comfortable feel with the addition of wainscoting and a fresh coating of paint on the walls. A sidewalk patio will seat about 20 or so diners during the summer months.

Sullivan, who grew up in Wauwatosa, says one of the best things about the new cafe is its location.

"I went to grade school across the street," she notes. "And I still know a lot of the families in the neighborhood. So, it feels really great to be coming back to my old neighborhood to do this."

Sullivan says that, if all goes well, she hopes to have the new cafe open by mid-July. Proposed hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can follow Miss Molly's Pastries on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.