With the opening of a second store in Mattapoisett’s Ropewalk Plaza, the Flour Girls Baking Company is on the rise.

Jill Houck, the owner of the town’s newest restaurant and coffee shop, is serving up baked goods made from scratch, gourmet coffee and sandwiches in the former space occupied by Panino’s, which abruptly closed in November.

Houck, a Marion resident, opened the first Flour Girls three years ago in Fairhaven, and she wants to recreate that store’s ambiance for tri-town customers.

“A coffeehouse feel is what I’m trying to drive home,” she said. “There was something missing here, there was no coziness.”

New lighting, comfortable chairs and couches and a fresh coat of paint greeted customers when the store opened on Dec. 19, just in time to accommodate holiday shoppers.

“We’ve changed almost everything in here to make it a little bit different,” she Houck said. “We want to offer friendly, efficient service.”

The restaurant offered similar fare as the Fairhaven shop when it opened, but now customers have the option of ordering from a full breakfast menu. There are plans to serve prepared foods, such as homemade soups and meatballs, in the future. Houck said customers should look forward to a gourmet grilled cheese menu.

Flour Girls also serves up Jim’s Organic Coffee. The company has been owned by Mattapoisett’s Jim Cannell for nearly 25 years.

Houck admits that expanding wouldn’t have crossed her mind if not for the encouragement of Ropewalk Plaza owner Mike Sudofsky.

“There was a little nudging that happened,” she said. “Mike made things very accommodating to get us in here.”

Sudofsky, the principal of Sky Development Limited, purchased the Ropewalk in May and has since worked to fill empty shops. A Marion resident, Sudofsky also owns an office building in Marion. When Panino’s left, he reached out to Houck, who has established herself over the past four years – first with a food truck and then the Fairhaven store.

“Mike really courted me. I have a brand. I’m established. People know who I am, and it’s sort of an easy transition that way.”

For more information on Flour Girls, visit www.flourgirlsbakingco.com.