Apr. 25—Just over two years ago, Annette and Aaron Bucceri took a chance on running a full-time cafe and retail shop in the Auburn Mall, bringing new life to the place and developing an enthusiastic following.

Business is so good they've decided to spread their vibrancy and food offerings to the heart of downtown Auburn, at 34 Court St., the former 1800 Club space next to City Hall.

In a phone call Thursday, Aaron Bucceri emphasized the Auburn Mall location will remain open.

The new space is being renovated and the retail section will open in the next 30 days, he said. It will offer chocolates, ice cream and sweets, and feature other local artisans and businesses as it does at its mall location.

Nutty Netties has been expanding its line of sweet offerings over time and shipping product as far as Texas.

The cafe in the new location is expected to open in the fall, with a menu mirroring the one at the mall. The bar will remain but will be reconfigured, and the kitchen will help the couple tackle the growing e-commerce and local delivery business.

Nutty Netties offers a full breakfast and lunch menu, with breakfast made from scratch and served all day. Annette is the chocolatier who has been making chocolates and sweets for nearly 20 years under the name of Marie's Homemade Chocolates.

In a radio interview on WIGY last year, Aaron Bucceri said his wife's name was the inspiration for the name Netties.

The Bucceris emphasize their food is freshly made, admitting the only reason they have a freezer is for ice cream.

Nutty Nettie's won the Best New Baker at the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival in Dover-Foxcroft last year and the owners plan to go back this year. That means baking nearly 1,500 whoopie pies to get through one day.

Aaron Bucceri said they've been discussing and planning this next phase in their business for nearly a year and decided on 34 Main St. because of its vibrant and historic location. He said it will remain a family-friendly business, where people can hang out and where visitors can take a piece of Maine with them. Bucceri said they are hoping to create a brighter spot downtown and bring more energy to the area.

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