Craving the Sweet Memories of Her Childhood, This Entrepreneur Is Opening Utah’s Very First Paris Baguette Café

For Su Kim, Paris Baguette* is synonymous with growing up. For as long as she can remember, there was a Paris Baguette cake at every family celebration or holiday. When she immigrated to Utah to pursue her master’s degree, there were no comparable bakery café options to be found. 

Kim has been in the financial industry for over a decade, but recently decided she wanted to branch out and do something that would benefit her community in the Salt Lake City suburb of Midvale. With fond childhood memories of Paris Baguette, she decided to open her own location of the bakery café franchise.

"I wanted to introduce my friends here to the brand," Kim said, "and that's how I started this journey. It's going to be the very first Paris Baguette in the state of Utah."

1851 Franchise spoke to Kim about her franchise journey with Paris Baguette and her plans for the future. 

FEATURE QUESTIONS

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Kim: I am a South Korean immigrant and, growing up, I knew about this brand because, in South Korea, Paris Baguette is everywhere. It’s a go-to place where families can buy their gathering and celebration needs.

I came here to Utah for higher education and I got my Master's degree in Accounting at the University of Utah. I call this place a second home for me because half of my lifetime has been in the state of Utah. After I graduated, I worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs for 12 years. I’m still in corporate finance, pursuing my career, but I wanted to do something for the community. This community deserves this type of brand that offers a combination of great products and an enjoyable environment. 

From working in investment banking, I had built a skillset to manage and organize different processes and I wanted to apply that to my own business. Paris Baguette had been on my mind for a little bit and then finally, I was ready. My husband and I were ready to do something new. This fit right in because there was nothing like Paris Baguette in my area and selfishly I wanted it available to me. So I thought, “Why don’t I just open it up?” That’s how I started this journey. It’s going to be the very first Paris Baguette in the state of Utah. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Kim: I knew that a franchise meant very robust procedures — offering the same products wherever you go and that the quality and product development were consistent. I wanted to offer something that was high-quality with various options in a nice setting. Even if people go to [a Paris Baguette] in a different state, I wanted them to see that this place is available in Utah, as well. In short, my perception was very positive because franchises normally maintain consistency and quality.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Kim: As a South Korean, Paris Baguette is a big deal. It gives me a lot of pride to be able to offer this to my friends and family in Utah. 

It's amazing how much Paris Baguette has been helping out and I just wanted to have that great environment for people that I truly care about and I think this community deserves that. It's an amazing brand and it's international. I want to bring a Paris Baguette store to Utah and the Salt Lake County communities because I think we are ready — this city is growing so much and Paris Baguette fits right into it. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Kim: I am excited. I hope this brings the community together and families to have a place for gathering and a place to enjoy delicious pastries. Once the first one is successful, I hope to open a second and many other locations down the road in the state of Utah so more people have access to the brand. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Kim: As a first generation immigrant, coming from nowhere as a minority and a woman in finance — now a woman entrepreneur — I want to show other minorities that they can do this. I want to be somebody who they can look up to. I think I am representing a lot of different populations. I want to be a mentor and someone people can reach out to for advice.

I am here to support the community. I'm hoping that I could see more of these types of things created by minorities, because that’s important for representation. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Kim: My main piece of advice is for people to do thorough research — know what you are getting into. You truly need to care about the product and service that you are offering. When I thought about the franchise or opening up the business, I didn't choose it just because I was familiar with the chain. I truly love the products that we offer. I love the environment that we create for guests. 

Do detailed due diligence of what will be the initial cost that you're going to be incurring … Don't just jump in without understanding what efforts are required. 

ABOUT PARIS BAGUETTE: 

Paris Baguette is a bakery café franchise with more than 4,000 units across the globe. The global brand first franchised in the U.S. in 2015 and has since established over 160 locations in markets across the country, making them one of the premier franchise opportunities in their category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by their expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to provide guests with a warm, welcoming bakery café experience that creates joy for all. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com/.