Real Estate Flexibility: What Paris Baguette is Looking for in Cafe Spaces

Paris Baguette, a café franchise with more than 4,000 units open around the globe, has grown to become a consumer favorite for delicious cakes, pastries, coffees and breads. As the concept continues to bloom with popularity, the executives at Paris Baguette work hard to ensure each location is set up to offer owners a stream of success that’s as steady as the batches of fresh bakery goods they produce.

“The corporate team at Paris Baguette is dedicated to finding the perfect site for a new location in each specific trade area that a new franchise owner signs on for. We are there every step of the way to make sure things go smoothly for them in the real estate pipeline,” explained Mark Mele, chief development officer.

Once a franchise agreement is executed, Paris Baguette works with local and national real estate brokerage firms to narrow down suitable sites and approve them. The next step is to present the options for the location to the new franchisee, who will review them before choosing one, sending out a letter of intent and undergoing lease negotiations. That entire process takes an average of 80 days.

Site selection process

Paris Baguette typically searches for existing facilities to use as a second-generation space in about 80% of cases. In other instances, the brand will choose a location in a new shopping plaza that is being built, and a few agreements are for freestanding new construction buildings.

The company looks for locations that are between 3,000 and 3,500 square feet that are either inline spaces or end caps of a lifestyle-focused shopping center. Paris Baguette targets plazas that offer convenience and easy accessibility, with big-box retail anchors that are busy all hours of the day.

After the space is identified, the brand will do a “test fit” in the space, retrofitting the existing floor plan and maximizing to get the most efficient use of space for a new Paris Baguette. The franchise recently rolled out a 3.0 design that all new locations are constructed with.

New design features

“The 3.0 design included upgraded furniture, fixtures, flooring, ceilings, lighting, millwork, refrigeration and freezer units. The seating is new, and there are several upgrades to both the interior and exterior (in places with outdoor seating),” explained Mele. “It’s more modern, up-to-date and very French and European-inspired with the colors and wood tones.”

Following the test fit, the brand will make architectural drawings and have contractors bid on the project. The construction process, training staff at our training center, and bringing in all the inventory and equipment can typically take three to four months, and then the café is ready to open its doors.

All in all, it usually takes about nine months from the time the franchise owner signs the agreement to when they are serving happy guests. They have the nonstop support of the corporate team for the entirety of the pre-opening process, as well as into opening and beyond.

Growth and expansion plans

Paris Baguette has over 130 recently-signed franchise owners currently in the real estate and construction pipelines. The franchise’s rapid growth is just getting started; the company is seeking to open another 80 units in North America in 2023 with the help of its franchise partners.