A new Puerto Rican-inspired retail and wholesale bakery and limited-service café and coffee shop are being planned in Meriden.
Landlord Jose R. Capo, of Pumpkin Realty Corp., has submitted plans to open a bakery and café in a former bank building at 43 East Main St.
Called Don Cola’o, the café would be open seven days a week and offer Puerto Rican-inspired espresso drinks, fresh-brewed coffee and a rotating menu of sandwiches, soups and light meals, according to a project application submitted to Meriden’s Planning Commission.
Customers will be able to place their orders at the counter for quick service, with seating available for on-site dining, according to the application.
Cola’o’s may also offer packaged items like ground coffee, branded merchandise and specialty products for retail purchase, according to the application.
It would employ around 12 people.
The bakery — to be called Modern Bakery — is a commercial baking and food production facility that would be located in the same building but operate independently from the café.
It will specialize in the production of bread, rolls and other baked goods for wholesale distribution, according to the project application.
A layout of the bakery and cafe.
The project, which was discussed during a Meriden Planning Commission meeting this week, has received administrative approval, according to city documents.
The 24,000-square-foot commercial building at 43 E. Main St., was formerly the home of a Wells Fargo branch. Capo bought the property in 2019 for $1.2 million, property records show.
