SILVERDALE — The Corner Bakery Cafe is really on the corner — the northeast corner of The Trails at Silverdale Shopping Center, that is.

The newest neighbor in The Trails opened Monday, Aug. 1, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. More than 100 people were in line at 6 a.m. to get a free coffee mug and free refills for the next year.

“We were amazed,” said Jayson Levich, vice president of operations for Northwest Corner. “The first person was in line at 4:20 a.m. We’d given out the 100 free mugs by 6:15 a.m.”

Corner Bakery Cafe is new to Kitsap County, but there is one at Southcenter Mall in Tukwila. One will open in Issaquah in September. In all, the company plans for 16 stores in Washington within the next four to six years, Levich said.

“We see Washington as a great place to expand,” he said. “The customer base is diverse and we have diverse offerings on our menu. And the state of Washington is doing well financially.”

The parent company that operates the Silverdale cafe is Northwest Corner LLC. Company officers looked at several locations in Kitsap County and decided on Silverdale and The Trails, because it’s a “hot area.”

“This location felt like a great place for us,” Levich said. “There’s a great mix of other food places at The Trails, like MOD Pizza. It’s just the best new place for us to land.”

The Corner Bakery Cafe in Silverdale has 75 employees and five managers, all of whom are local. At the store’s soft opening July 30, the hot item on the menu was pesto Cavatappi pasta, a chicken-and-pasta dish with a rich pesto cream sauce. And the chopped salad, chicken, bacon, avocado, bleu cheese, tomatoes and green onions on iceberg and romaine lettuce with a sweet vinaigrette dressing, was a favorite.

“We have a ‘choose any two,’ where you can pair soup, salad, sandwiches, pasta and flat bread,” he said. “And we serve breakfast all day. Our pancakes with scrambled eggs and bacon is something that’s well-liked.”

They bake daily and the coffee they serve is made specifically for Corner Bakery Cafes. On warm days, the front wall of windows can be rolled up like a garage door so that customers can sit outside on the patio.

As for coming to an area with lots of cafes and other bakeries, Levich said he’s not worried about the success of this Corner Bakery Cafe.

“Anywhere you go, you’ll have competition,” he said. “People will come in the door once, but what brings them back is good quality food and great customer service.”

Corner Bakery Cafes are in 25 states. Established in 1991, the restaurants are owned by CBC Restaurant Corporation with nearly 200 company-owned and franchised locations in the U.S. The cafes are named for an Italian corner bakery that was originally part of Maggliano’s restaurant in Chicago. But because of its popularity, it branched off to became its own business in the early 1990s.

The cafe encourages family dining and has a children’s menu. It also supports the communities where they are located.

In fact, during the preview party and soft opening, the food was free, but any donations given were for the Central Kitsap Food Bank.

“We want to be a part of this community,” Levich said. “That’s why we’re a member of the chamber and why we’re having this grand opening-ribbon cutting. Corner Bakery is very much connected to the cause of food insecurity, especially for children. Every October we do a big project to support the work that food banks do for families and children.”

Principal partner Sanjay Abuja of San Francisco was on hand for the opening. He said he found the people to be warm and friendly.

“I’m really proud that we are here in Silverdale,” he said. “And this place (The Trails) is really up and coming. I’m impressed with this community and the way they’ve embraced new businesses.”

“I saw a lot of happy faces today (at the opening),” he continued. “Everybody’s been good to us and we want to repay them by giving them a great new place to eat.”

Among other menu items are berry almond Swiss oats, fruit smoothies, muffins, croissants, cookies, panini served hot, and Big Al’s chili, created from a secret recipe.

Sandwiches range from $7 to $9.50. Breakfasts range from $5.50 to $8. They also cater events.

The cafe is at 11199 Pacific Crest Place NW, Suite D139. Call 360-979-4250 for more, or to call in an order. See a full menu online at www.corner bakerycafe.com.

The Trails is at the intersection of Greaves Way and Clear Creek Road in Silverdale.