The smell of freshly brewed coffee and of bread pulled straight from the oven will soon greet people near the corner of Front and Commercial Streets downtown.

The Baker’s Rhapsody, the newest addition to the city’s business district opens its doors beginning at 6 a.m. Tuesday, located next to The Hairitage and Dowagiac IT3 on Front Street. The new eatery offers an assortment of freshly baked breads, breakfast pastries and deserts and a selection of coffee and other beverages to customers, in a casual café atmosphere.

Owner and baker-in-chief Jordan Anderson has been working for the past year to get the new establishment up and running. The Dowagiac resident has been operating the Baker’s Rhapsody for the last several years remotely, renting kitchen space out of Marcellus to bake custom orders
from customers.

Anderson, his father, Kevin, and mother, Nanette, have spent countless hours transforming the hallowed out interior of the building into a kitchen and dining area, all while continuing to whip-up cakes and other baked goods for weddings and for the local farmer’s market, he said.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s been awesome over the last month to see the place start to really come together,” Anderson said.

Featuring soft lighting and humble wooden furniture, the chef describes his bakery’s dining area as “rustic meets industrial.” Anderson is hoping customers will find the space is a great place to come and relax while enjoying some good food and coffee, he said.

In addition to the selection of cupcakes, scones and other treats people have come to expect from the local chef, the bakery will feature breakfast pastries such as cinnamon rolls and different kinds of breads, like sourdoughs or baguettes. Customers will also be able to order fresh brewed coffees, lattes, espressos, cappuccinos and more, Anderson said.

“It’s a place where you can just grab something from the counter and go sit down with some friends,” Anderson said.

Customers will be able to see the chef in action from behind the counter as well, as Anderson designed the kitchen area to be visible from the dining area, he said.

“A lot of people these days like to see where their food is being made,” he said.

The opening of his new storefront not only gives Anderson his very own space to continue creating the confections he’s become known for, but also fulfills his longstanding dream of having a space where he can share his creations with others.

“It’s super surreal,” he said. “It’s really cool to see all your hard work come into fruition with something tangible like this.”

The Baker’s Rhapsody will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Additional information is available on the bakery’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/TheBakersRhapsody.