BEDFORD — Mamie’s Cafe and Bakery has expanded with its first franchise slated to open this summer at 113 West Pitt St., Bedford.

Taylor Wahl, 24, signed on this week with Mamie’s owner and founder Karen Leidy Wyland to operate the franchise in her historic downtown building that once housed the Hurry Sundown bar. Wahl purchased the 220-year-old building while still a junior at Saint Vincent College.

Her sewing shop, Twila’s, occupies a portion of the building’s ground floor, while Mamie’s will use the space connected with the commercial kitchen already in place.

Wyland said she had been talking to others across the country to see if there was an interest in selling Mamie’s donuts and food.

“I always had this vision” of expanding, she said. The franchise came about due to “a matter of perfect timing and getting the recipes in digital form.”

Wyland founded Mamie’s, now at 110 E. Allegheny St., Martinsburg, in 2007 and the business — named after her great-grandmother Mamie Teeter — has been a success built on a simple belief: People deserve to know what real homemade food tastes like.

After Wahl approached Wyland last July about opening a store in Bedford, the two came up with the idea for a franchise.

“I had an interest in having a group of shops,” Wahl said.

In addition to the sewing shop, two art studios are located in her building, and since the building has a commercial kitchen, she thought an established eatery would be the way to go.

“Mamie’s has good recipes, a great following and a brand name,” Wahl said. “I am really excited. … Her products have a good following, everybody knows Mamie’s.”

The franchise is about more than opening restaurants, though, Wyland said.

“It’s about finding dedicated people who believe in real food, homemade traditions, and serving others with heart. That’s how Mamie’s was built, and that’s how we want it to grow,” she said. “The only way I know how to truly duplicate what we do is through passionate people who want to bring the Mamie’s experience to their own communities and share that goodness with the world.”

Wahl said she hopes to have the business up and running in August. The business will be open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.

“At the beginning we will have a reduced menu, but will add to it as time goes on. It will be like a mini Mamie’s,” Wahl said.

Meanwhile, Wyland said Mamie’s will continue to grow through franchising and its “Make It at Home” product line, featuring cream pie mixes, doughnut mix, pancake mix and Val’s Sweet n’ Spicy Chili Mix — with more exciting products still to come.

“Keep watching our store as new items continue to be added,” Wyland said.

Mirror Staff writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.