Quinte West, ON — Pavla Hoca used to be a fashion and textile designer but after moving to Canada, her love of baking led her to open the Old Bank Café in Frankford. “I have baked hand-painted honey cookies and other European pastries for many years,” said Hoca. She was looking around the city with her husband and the old Molsons Bank building caught her eye.
The building used to be a colonial store and later became Molson’s Bank. “When I called the City to ask about zoning, I also asked what kind of business suits the building,” said Hoca, “when they told me it could be made into a small bakery or a coffee shop, I knew that was the place.”
The Old Bank Café is open on Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and open Sundays during the summer (July to August) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The café will sell organic coffee, loose leaf tea, baked goods like European pastries and hand-painted cookies. The café will also offer mealtime classics like soup, sandwiches and fresh salads.
During the cold fall and winter months, Hoca is offering courses and workshops on baking and hand-painting cookies and hosting another one-of-a-kind experience. “Many customers know what a wine tour is, but we want to introduce a coffee tour for the people who love coffee to come and try the different varieties we offer,” she said.
For more information, email oldbankcafee@gmail.com, visit the Old Bank Café on Facebook or call 613-398-9052
