Loyal Paris Baguette Guest Brian Yi Opens Minnesota’s First Bakery Café in Maple Grove, Minnesota

Paris Baguette*, the global bakery café franchise, has opened their first location in Minnesota with Brian Yi, a Minnesota resident, retail business owner and loyal Paris Baguette guest. 

After visiting Paris Baguette throughout his childhood, he developed an affinity for the brand. When he learned Paris Baguette was offering franchise opportunities in Minnesota, he inquired the same day.

Now, Yi has opened Minnesota’s first Paris Baguette, located at 7855 Elm Creek Blvd, and he is planning a ribbon-cutting ceremony for June 20th.

“I’m excited to be bringing something new to Minnesota,” said Yi. “There are not many freshly made pastry or bread shops in Minnesota, and most people end up getting those things from the grocery store. I grew to love Paris Baguette as a child, and I’m excited to bring the brand to my community.”

1851 Franchise spoke with Yi to learn more about his franchising journey with Paris Baguette and his plans for the future.

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

Yi: Currently, I’m in the hair business, running a beauty supply store. That store isn’t a franchise, but when I started thinking about expanding my business profile, I was curious about other businesses and how they worked. 

Paris Baguette is similar to my current retail model because all the pastries are out and people can grab and go. I was excited to open a business and expand my investments, but it’s also exciting to have the Paris Baguette name behind me.

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?

Yi: Before I became a franchisee, I thought franchising was a model where you handed over the investment and the franchisor opened your store. It’s more hands-on than I had expected. You’re not completely alone in opening the location, which is nice, but you also can’t be completely hands-off.

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

Yi: Originally, Paris Baguette wasn’t available for franchising in Minnesota. I grew up with Paris Baguette, and whenever we would go, I would get to bring pastries back home with me. I already had knowledge of the brand, so when the opportunity to bring it to Minnesota came up, I jumped on it.

Now, I’m hearing from people throughout the community that everyone is so excited to have a new bakery café. Knowing that guests love Paris Baguette as an addition to Maple Grove has been one of the best parts of the journey to this point.

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

Yi: We have opened the first Paris Baguette in Minnesota, so right now, I’m most focused on maintaining the business to a high standard and providing the best possible guest experience. We’ll have to see how it plays out, but if things go well, we may grow to open two or three more stores in the future.

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

Yi: I’m excited to be bringing something new to Minnesota. There are not many freshly made pastry or bread shops in Minnesota, and most people end up getting those things from the grocery store. I grew to love Paris Baguette as a child, and I’m excited to bring the brand to my community.

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

Yi: Franchising requires a lot of man-hours. If you’re going into the food space, it’s very different from the general retail model, so you need to study the industry.

You also need to leverage whatever resources you have. Make sure you have cash ready, and try to be in the loop with local general contractors — build those relationships.

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/.