East Side Bakery Sets Grand Opening Date

Amy Gorski, owner of Poppy Bakery, shows off a stash of fresh rhubarb. Photo taken June 13, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.

When Amy Gorski was just starting her career in pastry, she and a close friend and coworker would share grand visions over bowls of batter.

“We’d stand across the table and talk about our dream bakeries, and I’d say, ‘Well, when I have my own bakery, I’ll do this. I’ll do that.'”

More than twelve years later, those dreams are becoming a reality. Gorski will celebrate the grand opening of her own business, Poppy Bakery, Saturday, June 14, at 2021 E. Ivanhoe Pl.

The East Side space, once home to Sip & Purr Cat Cafe, has been reimagined as a neighborhood hub for wholesome baked goods and Valentine Coffee — complete with sentimental details like a bakery case handmade by Gorski’s childhood best friend, a storage rack from a former baker’s estate sale and a butter-stained note, now framed, from that same daydreaming coworker.

“It’s been so special,” Gorski said of designing the bakery. “It’s fun because most of the pieces have a story. I’ve got so many winks from family and friends in here — special little mementos.”

On Friday morning, Gorski and Paige Hanusa — the bakery’s sole employees — moved calmly but efficiently as they prepped coffee cake, brioche and sourdough focaccia for opening day — a rhythm shaped by years of experience.

Though she originally pushed for a late-May opening, Gorski found a silver lining in the slight delay: strawberry season. Starting Saturday, guests can expect pastries showcasing sweet, fresh berries, sourced from Mick Klug Farms in Michigan.

“I want people to understand that strawberry season is a whisper,” she said. “It is here, and then it is gone, and then that’s it.”

Gorski plans to make the most of the season, folding whole berries into breakfast pastries and sweet treats. They’ll reappear later — in jams, pickles and preserves — but never fresh when they’re out of season.

“You’re never going to find a fresh strawberry on my menu outside of strawberry season,” she said. “Never going to find a fresh blueberry on the menu outside of blueberry season. That’s why I’m so happy we’re opening at this particular time, because what’s better than a fresh strawberry?”

Gorski’s fridge is also overflowing with rosy rhubarb stalks, some of which will make their way into her indulgent raspberry-rhubarb bostock, featuring housemade brioche, almond frangipane, rhubarb-raspberry jam, poached rhubarb, almonds and raspberry-rhubarb tea syrup.

Along with in-season offerings, guests can regularly expect breakfast pastries like bacon brioche and cinnamon rolls, afternoon sweets such as dark chocolate cardamom knots, and all-day snacks like focaccia. The bakery also plans to offer sourdough loaves in the near future.

Prior to the grand opening, Gorski hosted a sneak peek for nearby neighbors. She said she’s already feeling the love.

“They were so excited, and it was nice to feel welcomed and needed,” she said, noting that many visitors underscored the East Side’s need for a local bakery. “I’m trying to become part of the neighborhood’s everyday routine and weekend routine, and also trying to provide wholesome food for people.”

Poppy Bakery doesn’t use food colorings or sprinkles, sourcing many of its ingredients — fresh produce, in particular — from local farms and businesses. “I just want to make good, delicious food that you can feel good about eating every day.”

Gorski plans to start gradually, opening on weekends only and steadily growing the business over time. “We’re going to grow slow and do it right,” she said. “Once we’ve mastered perfect hospitality and consistent pastries, we’ll add another day. Every guest should get perfection.”

Starting June 14, Poppy Bakery will open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information and future updates, visit the business’s website.

Photos

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