New Cafe Opening on King Drive

Sweet Connie’s Cafe, 1031 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Photo taken March 4, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.

Signage is up at Sweet Connie’s Cafe, equipment has arrived and the new business is prepping its garden boxes for tableside herbs. All that’s left now is to bloom.

After nearly three years of work, owners Shelley Wiley and Consuela Towns are set to open Sweet Connie’s on Saturday, March 8. Inspired by their time living in Germany, where Towns operated her own restaurant, they’ve channeled their experience into creating a cafe that combines the charm of European bistros with a focus on community and fresh ingredients.

While there are some pre-launch jitters, the milestone will bring relief for the couple, who faced constant setbacks and unexpected delays throughout the entire project.

“There are times when you feel like stopping and giving up, but then you think about how much work you’ve put into it, and you realize you really have to keep going and follow through,” Wiley said. “We’re optimistic — I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Sweet Connie’s will offer a wide variety of fresh pastries, beverages and grab-and-go items at 1031 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., in the space formerly occupied by The Spice House. And if the couple’s preliminary plans are any indication, it’ll be well worth the wait.

“What we want to bring is community without the separation, where you can come in and relax,” Wiley said. “Just a place that people, when they leave, they can’t wait to come back.”

When it opens this weekend, the cafe will offer Anodyne coffee and espresso, along with a limited food menu that includes breads, pastries, cheesecakes, parfaits, overnight oats, salads, smoothies and panini. The couple plans to gradually expand its selection throughout the soft opening with heartier breakfast items like eggs, waffles and pancakes.

Sweet Connie’s aims to showcase local goods, with plans to source Usinger’s sausage from across the street and cheese from the nearby Wisconsin Cheese Mart. The cafe will also feature a book swap area and retail space with local honey and other goods.

Future plans include tableside herb planters — where guests will be able to snip their own garnishes — and an herb wall, created in partnership with Shepherds College. The couple will further activate their green thumbs with a lower-level garden, designed to grow ingredients for the cafe and supplies for Towns’ homemade teas, spices and syrups.

“We want to be able to use a high percentage of our own homegrown ingredients in the food that we prepare,” Wiley said. “The concept is pretty much taking what The Spice House left — the scent — and bringing that back in here with lavender, with herbs, with fresh vegetation.”

Much of the building is still a work in progress, but the couple has a vision for every square inch. A back room will transform into a smoothie bar by day and an event space by night, while an adjacent area is set to become a commercial kitchen—the cafe is currently using a smaller kitchen with conventional equipment during the build-out. The spacious basement will be converted into a lounge area and locker rooms for staff, with offices and an indoor garden also in the works.

Wiley said he’s excited to welcome guests this weekend and looks forward to bringing new projects and offerings to life as business ramps up. He’s also eager to embark on a new chapter, moving past the challenges of the past three years.

“It’s really been a learning experience for both of us,” said Wiley, who juggled two jobs throughout the process while also working full-time on the business and paying all expenses out of pocket. “It’s something we both appreciate, especially because it hasn’t been easy.”

Sweet Connie’s will open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 8. Future hours and updates will be shared on the business’s social media.

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