Wayzata’s vacant Wuollet’s to become a Rustica Bakery & Cafe

Brent Frederick is already making good on his promise to bring more Rustica bakeries to the suburbs.

When his restaurant group, Jester Concepts, took over the brand last fall, Frederick said he would bring those legendary bittersweet chocolate cookies and more to at least one new suburban locale this year, with more to come.

Now we know where the first one will be. By this summer, Jester’s new addition to Rustica’s other two locations, in Minneapolis and Edina, will open in Wayzata.

“This is step one,” Frederick said.

The bakery and cafe takes over a now-vacant former Wuollet’s Bakery, which closed last year amid eviction proceedings. Penny’s Coffee, across the street, closed in 2022.

“I think we’re filling a void in that market right now, and we’re excited to fill it,” Frederick said.

The Penny’s Coffee location was replaced last year by Thirsty Whale Bakery. And the nearby restaurant Grocer’s Table also sells baked goods.

But Frederick said Grocer’s Table is “a different model. They do a great job, but we’re definitely just focused on coffee and pastries and baked goods, and that’s it.”

At 1,600 square feet, the new Rustica seats about 30 people inside and will add patio seating in warmer months.

Look for coffee drinks, homemade breads and pastries from Cafe Ceres' Shawn McKenzie, who is head of Rustica’s production team. Eventually, the menu will expand into more savory food, but mainly in a grab-and-go format.

The Wayzata Rustica is the first step in a growth plan that steers Jester Concepts’ resources into smaller and more easily replicable concepts, Frederick said.

“I really love that there’s a business model to it that I’m kind of fascinated by. Building restaurants for millions and millions of dollars, to have revenue for millions of dollars, is tricky and risky. And when you can have a hub and spoke model, like a centralized production bakery, then you can distribute or deliver to smaller retail locations that don’t cost millions of dollars to build out. I’m just excited about the opportunity.”

Rustica is coming this summer to 794 Lake St. E., Wayzata, joining locations at 3220 W. Lake St., Minneapolis, and 200 Southdale Center, Suite A, Edina. Find more information at rusticabakery.com.