Two years ago, Julia Celeste and Tina Miller were working together at Flatbread Pizza near the airport. But today, both women were busy behind the counter of their new marketplace and take-away cafe, Rosewater, which held its grand opening Tuesday at 20 South Summer street in Edgartown after five months of development.

“The lemon ricotta muffin’s great, you’ll love it,” Ms. Celeste assured an elderly couple while she buzzed back and forth from the kitchen to the counter.

The warm summer day that accompanied the market’s opening was in contrast to the mid-winter roots of the business two years prior when Ms. Celeste and Ms. Miller first came up with the idea to bring a marketplace back to Edgartown.

The women behind Rosewater — Julia Celeste, Tina Miller and Rachael Fox.

Mark Lovewell

The women behind Rosewater — Julia Celeste, Tina Miller and Rachael Fox.

Mark Lovewell

“This space originally was Penn Street market,” said Ms. Celeste gesturing to the bright white building behind her that now houses Rosewater. “Where the women’s clothing store and Edgartown Cinemas is, that used to be another market. There used to be about two or three in town.”

They closed on the building at the end of January and then contacted chef Rachael Fox, who creates all of the market’s take-away baked goods. Ms. Celeste had previously known Ms. Fox when she worked at Behind the Bookstore cafe two years ago, and came away very impressed with the quality of the food she served. Ms. Fox had subsequently returned to Los Angeles but was easily sold on the idea of returning to the Island to help start up the new venture.

The three women, Ms. Celeste, Ms. Miller and Ms. Fox, became co-management partners of Rosewater, which is housed in a building owned by Ms. Celeste’s parents, Christopher Celeste and Nancy Kramer, who also serve as owners of the business. The market also received help from its neighbors.

“For the construction, we worked with Gerret Conover just across the street, and their whole team was incredible,” said Ms. Celeste. “I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, but the whole Edgartown business community was very supportive.”

Food to stay, food to go, supplies to make food at home.

Mark Alan Lovewell

Food to stay, food to go, supplies to make food at home.

Mark Alan Lovewell

The entire insides of the building had to be refinished, to the point that everything from the floor to the ceiling lights needed work. The property had previously served as the Very Vineyard clothing store, meaning that aspects like fitting rooms had to be replaced with more appropriate decor such as a counter. The outside, however, was left mostly untouched, in part due to the property’s location in the Edgartown historic district.

“The building’s very beautiful,” explained Ms. Celeste. “And trying to make it seem like it’s always been there was our goal.”

The current plan is to make Rosewater work as a year-round business.

“Our goal is to not have to close down in like three months,” said Ms. Celeste. “We want to still be here in the winter.”

Christopher Celeste and his wife Nancy Kramer own the building.

Mark Lovewell

Christopher Celeste and his wife Nancy Kramer own the building.

Mark Lovewell

The store includes several areas for eating, both inside and outside, as well as grocery items. Fresh-baked bread, cookies, sandwiches and coffee are all on the menu, and there are also plans for a catering business.

“We’ll see how this evolves and what people respond to,” said Ms. Celeste. “But I see this as someone coming in at six o’clock in the morning and getting the Wall Street Journal, a cup of coffee and a dozen eggs for the next day.”

During the lunch rush on opening day, Christopher Celeste joined his daughter and her co-managing partners behind the counter. Like them he wore a Rosewater T-shirt.

“We’ve been really welcomed,” he said. “And I think we’re actually here to fill a need.”