Franchising

Chinese-American restaurateur bringing Paris to Ohio

Provided

June 10, 2021

Korea-based, Paris Baguette, a 4,000-plus-unit bakery with 90 locations in the U.S., is entering the Cincinnati, Ohio, market as part of its plan to add 1,000 U.S. stores before 2030.

"I love Paris Baguette not only because of the high-quality products and service the brand is focused on providing," Ai Lin, a Chinese-American restaurateur and multi-brand franchisee who will open the Ohio unit by year's end, said in the release. "I also love the brand because it's constantly striving to grow and develop. That's something I want to be part of and I cannot wait to open the first Paris Baguette in Cincinnati."

Paris Baguette will fit well in the Cincinnati market, according to the brand's Chief Development Officer Mark Mele, because he said the area offers few options of the same quality of handmade croissants, baguettes and pastries.

"In our goal to become America's go-to bakery cafe, the Cincinnati market represents one of the Midwest's biggest regions with enormous potential for growth," he said in the release.

Cincinnati's franchise growth opportunity

With over 2 million people in the Cincinnati area, Mele said the sky's the limit for how many stores Paris Baguette can open.

"In Ohio alone, we can open 50 to 100-plus stores," Mele said. "If we look at the Cincinnati market alone, there's no reason we couldn't have 5-plus stores in the area, the demographics are there to support that number. If I included Dayton, Columbus, Hamilton, and Middletown (within 150 miles north of Cincinnati) that's about 25 locations right there. The state of Ohio is large from a population and geographic standpoint, and remains a target for Paris Baguette expansion."

The Cincinnati region, like many U.S. metroplexes, has experienced the slow, painful demise of the bakery cafes that used to unite and serve its neighborhoods, Mele said. So, where are people buying their croissants and cakes? At the grocery store — hardly a place where people congregate and socialize — Mele said. By offering higher-end cakes and baked goods, he believe Paris Baguette can blow past the supermarkets it competes with while also providing a fun, relaxing space to sit down with friends for the neighborhood.

"Our competitors are moving into new territories, turning their bakeries into eateries and leaving the space wide open," Mele said. "Paris Baguette is staying true to who we are. We're bringing back bakeries that bake in the store daily. Every day we're making bread, croissants, pastries and cakes. We also prepare sandwiches and salads in the store, but we're committed to staking our claim as the top neighborhood bakery, and nobody is coming close to our quality."

The company also believes in the importance of a neighborhood bakery cafe, where people can enjoy the best of baked goods with a hot tea or coffee. As the pandemic's grip on American society wanes, people are yearning for the opportunity to spend time in a neighborhood bakery cafe that evokes the delicious old-world traditions.

"We all grew up with that special neighborhood bakery, and that's sort of dissolved. Paris Baguette's next major milestone will be becoming America's neighborhood bakery-cafe," CEO Darren Tipton said in the release.

Ruling Queen City

Paris Baguette has no other locations in Ohio, Michigan or Kentucky, but is seeking dozens of franchise partners, in addition to Lin, to grow across Cincinnati and its surrounding areas.

"Cincinnati represents an ideal location for Paris Baguette because of its low barriers to entry from a construction standpoint," Mele said. "Multi-unit developers and multi-unit franchisees from other brands love the fact that you can expand there pretty quickly."

Who Can Bring Paris To Ohio?

Paris Baguette is looking for skilled entrepreneurs with a passion for providing top quality goods and a friendly neighborhood bakery cafe space for the locals, Mele said.

"We're looking for franchisees that, No. 1, have a business background," said Mele. "Perhaps they ran a successful business in the past, and all the better if it was a restaurant brand."

But while the Paris Baguette concept is a proven money-maker in an in-demand segment, Mele said it's a business opportunity only for hands-on owners.

"From an operations standpoint, we want engaged owners keeping a pulse on the business with multiple units," he said . "They're not going to be working in the facility as the general manager, but if they want multiple units they're going to have to oversee those units actively. It's still possible for someone to open a single unit if we find the right person, but our preference is multi-unit deals."

As for net worth requirements, Paris Baguette requires franchisees to have $500,000 in liquid assets and $1.5 million in net worth. The total investment to franchise with Paris Baguette ranges from $709,193 to $1,386,292, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.

With flagship, standalone locations and nontraditional locations like those in malls, university campuses and transportation hubs an option, Mele said Paris Baguette can find a location for any aspiring franchisee, as long as they have the drive.

"You have to have a passion for people and a passion for the business we're doing on a daily basis. It's about delivering happiness with our baked goods. It's a high-end product and people realize that when they come in," he said.