Paris Baguette
A Longtime Love for Paris Baguette Led Huanyu Li To Open One of Her Own
As a first-time franchisee, Li is focused on building a successful business in Virginia Beach while continuing her full-time work in IT and raising two children.
Huanyu Li’s journey into franchising wasn’t driven by a search for business ownership — it was sparked by a decade-long love for one brand in particular: Paris Baguette. After years of frequenting the bakery while living in New Jersey, she made the leap alongside her husband to bring the concept to Virginia Beach, Virginia, opening the city’s first location while continuing to work full time as an IT program lead and raising two children.
“I didn’t start by deciding I wanted to franchise. I wanted to open a Paris Baguette specifically,” Li said. “I used to live in New Jersey, and there are a lot of locations there, including a big one in Edison. I’ve liked the brand for more than 10 years. I love the bakery and the products, so I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
Despite having no prior experience with franchising, Li dove into the process with a clear vision. “I didn’t know anything about franchising before this. This is my first time learning about it,” she said. “Paris Baguette helped explain a lot and walked me through everything at the beginning.”
Li is taking a deliberate, step-by-step approach to growth as she navigates business ownership for the first time. “Right now, my goal is to focus all of my energy on making this first location successful,” she said. “In the future, I’d like to open another one, but that will depend on how things go with this store.”
1851 Franchise sat down with Li to talk about her initial foray into franchising with Paris Baguette, her love of the brand and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Huanyu Li: I’m originally from China, and I’ve been working as an IT program lead for more than 10 years. I have two kids and two dogs, and I live in Virginia Beach. Most of my time outside of work is spent with my kids. We go to the library, go to the playground and spend time outside. I don’t really have much time for myself, but that’s OK.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Li: I’m still working as an IT program lead, so this is something I’m doing in addition to my full-time job. I didn’t start by deciding I wanted to franchise. I wanted to open a Paris Baguette specifically. I used to live in New Jersey, and there are a lot of locations there, including a big one in Edison. I’ve liked the brand for more than 10 years. I love the bakery and the products, so I thought it would be a good opportunity. After COVID, when everything started to feel more normal, I started researching and decided it was the right time to open one.
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?
Li: I didn’t know anything about franchising before this. This is my first time learning about it. Paris Baguette helped explain a lot and walked me through everything at the beginning. It’s a good brand, and this is the first location in Virginia Beach, so that’s exciting, but also challenging.
The hardest part has been the training. All the training is in New Jersey, and it’s hard to ask people from Virginia Beach to go there for four weeks. It would be better if Paris Baguette could send someone to help train on-site, especially for locations that are far from the training center.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Li: I wanted to bring something new to Virginia Beach, and this is the first location here, so it felt like a good opportunity.
I also like the products. They’re not as sweet as a lot of other bakeries. As an Asian person, I appreciate that because our appetites tend to prefer less sweet flavors. The bread and desserts at Paris Baguette fit that style, which I think a lot of people in the community will enjoy too.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Li: Right now, my goal is to focus all of my energy on making this first location successful. In the future, I’d like to open another one, but that will depend on how things go with this store.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Li: If someone is thinking about becoming a franchise owner, I’d tell them to start by doing their own research. Read the full FDD — it’s 300 or 400 pages — and make sure you understand what kind of support the franchisor will provide. Reach out to people who already own that brand and learn from their experience. Find out how much investment it really takes and whether the franchise fits your goals, your lifestyle, and your career. Most franchises are local businesses, so it’s important to understand your local market and what people in your area want. Do your research carefully and make sure it’s the right fit before moving forward.
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 200 locations in markets across North America, 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/.
Huanyu Li’s journey into franchising wasn’t driven by a search for business ownership — it was sparked by a decade-long love for one brand in particular: Paris Baguette. After years of frequenting the bakery while living in New Jersey, she made the leap alongside her husband to bring the concept to Virginia Beach, Virginia, opening the city’s first location while continuing to work full time as an IT program lead and raising two children.
“I didn’t start by deciding I wanted to franchise. I wanted to open a Paris Baguette specifically,” Li said. “I used to live in New Jersey, and there are a lot of locations there, including a big one in Edison. I’ve liked the brand for more than 10 years. I love the bakery and the products, so I thought it would be a good opportunity.”
Despite having no prior experience with franchising, Li dove into the process with a clear vision. “I didn’t know anything about franchising before this. This is my first time learning about it,” she said. “Paris Baguette helped explain a lot and walked me through everything at the beginning.”
Li is taking a deliberate, step-by-step approach to growth as she navigates business ownership for the first time. “Right now, my goal is to focus all of my energy on making this first location successful,” she said. “In the future, I’d like to open another one, but that will depend on how things go with this store.”
1851 Franchise sat down with Li to talk about her initial foray into franchising with Paris Baguette, her love of the brand and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Huanyu Li: I’m originally from China, and I’ve been working as an IT program lead for more than 10 years. I have two kids and two dogs, and I live in Virginia Beach. Most of my time outside of work is spent with my kids. We go to the library, go to the playground and spend time outside. I don’t really have much time for myself, but that’s OK.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Li: I’m still working as an IT program lead, so this is something I’m doing in addition to my full-time job. I didn’t start by deciding I wanted to franchise. I wanted to open a Paris Baguette specifically. I used to live in New Jersey, and there are a lot of locations there, including a big one in Edison. I’ve liked the brand for more than 10 years. I love the bakery and the products, so I thought it would be a good opportunity. After COVID, when everything started to feel more normal, I started researching and decided it was the right time to open one.
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?
Li: I didn’t know anything about franchising before this. This is my first time learning about it. Paris Baguette helped explain a lot and walked me through everything at the beginning. It’s a good brand, and this is the first location in Virginia Beach, so that’s exciting, but also challenging.
The hardest part has been the training. All the training is in New Jersey, and it’s hard to ask people from Virginia Beach to go there for four weeks. It would be better if Paris Baguette could send someone to help train on-site, especially for locations that are far from the training center.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Li: I wanted to bring something new to Virginia Beach, and this is the first location here, so it felt like a good opportunity.
I also like the products. They’re not as sweet as a lot of other bakeries. As an Asian person, I appreciate that because our appetites tend to prefer less sweet flavors. The bread and desserts at Paris Baguette fit that style, which I think a lot of people in the community will enjoy too.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Li: Right now, my goal is to focus all of my energy on making this first location successful. In the future, I’d like to open another one, but that will depend on how things go with this store.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Li: If someone is thinking about becoming a franchise owner, I’d tell them to start by doing their own research. Read the full FDD — it’s 300 or 400 pages — and make sure you understand what kind of support the franchisor will provide. Reach out to people who already own that brand and learn from their experience. Find out how much investment it really takes and whether the franchise fits your goals, your lifestyle, and your career. Most franchises are local businesses, so it’s important to understand your local market and what people in your area want. Do your research carefully and make sure it’s the right fit before moving forward.
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 200 locations in markets across North America, 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/.
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