When Jamie Cater first opened her business, Cater’s Market, about five years ago, she brought North Meridian something its residents had been wishing for but didn’t have — a gourmet specialty grocery.

    Now, she’s bringing downtown something it’s been wishing for as well — a full service café.

    Along with adding to the area’s business roster, Cater’s Café will also be filling one of the many vacant storefronts downtown. The new café will be located in the Vise building on 22nd Avenue, across the street from Dumont Plaza. The building is the former site of TJ’s Menswear.

    The new business is also welcome news at a time another downtown business, the teacher and art supply store Paint and Pen, is closing.

    The café will have a full service espresso bar, and a variety of bakery and grab and go items will be brought over from the North Hills location. Food offered at the café, Cater said, will include breakfast sandwiches, bagels, cookies, muffins, and brownies, to name a few.

    Cater said she feels the timing is good to open a store downtown, with business and interest in the area both growing. “I just think it’s a great time right now for downtown,” she said, “My goal is to provide another element, something we didn’t already have here.”

    Cater said she hopes to see her café, which will offer free wi-fi, become a hub for people who live, visit, or work downtown.

    “I’d like the business person to stop by here on their way to work and grab a muffin and cup of coffee, or gather to have meetings here,” she said.

    The café will only be open during the day to start, but Cater said she hopes to eventually attract a nighttime crowd. In the meantime, she just wants to do her part to keep downtown interesting.

    “My goal is to provide another element, something that we didn’t already have here,” she said.

    Cater said she’s not sure how long it will take to open the café, but workers are already getting the building ready. She said she’ll likely begin with a soft opening.

    “I”m just excited to be able to offer something different downtown,” she said.