St. Louis Bread Co. is in an expansion mode.

The 62-store bakery cafe chain is looking to open 45 new stores this year, mostly franchise operations, in a territory from Missouri eastward to Pennsylvania and from Southern Maine down the eastern seaboard to Florida.

The company also plans to expand in Chicago, where it has 11 stores and three under construction.

The 10-year-old company is projecting 500 new stores by the end of the year 2000.

The bread company, noted for its sourdough bread and specialty coffees, opened at West Park Mall in March 1995.