Bret Alex Feaster wasn’t looking for just any franchise. As the owner of eight Jimmy John’s locations in southwest Michigan, he was already an experienced operator with a strong foothold in the market. But when he and his wife took a trip to New York City, they stumbled upon something unexpected: a Paris Baguette café tucked around the corner from their hotel. One visit turned into five in just four days, and by the end of their trip, they were hooked.
“One of the last times we were eating there, we started wondering if they franchised,” Feaster said. “I looked it up, and sure enough, they did. I immediately sent an email to express interest, and everything moved pretty quickly from there.”
For Feaster, the decision to invest in Paris Baguette wasn’t just about expanding his portfolio — it was about bringing something special back home. With plans to open six locations in three years, starting in Kalamazoo and expanding into Grand Rapids, he’s betting big on a brand he believes in. “Everything I read about the company — from its culture to the product to the global brand recognition — just made me more confident in the opportunity,” he said.
1851 Franchise spoke with Feaster about what drew him to Paris Baguette and his plans for growth across southwest Michigan. Here's what he had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Bret Alex Feaster: First and foremost I have to say I wouldn’t be doing this without the incredible ownership team we’ve put together – my wife Shelby, Caleb Kiebert, Summer Mencl, and Josh Nagel – all of whom I’m thrilled to be on this journey with.
When I was going into college, I knew I wanted to own my own business, but I didn’t know what kind or what that would look like. I was a golfer in high school so I chose to go into the golf industry. I figured working at country clubs would help me build the kind of connections that could eventually lead to owning a business. I moved to California and worked as a golf professional for five years.
As it turned out, my parents were the connection I needed to start a business. I moved home and opened my first Jimmy John’s in 2015 with their support. Over the past 10 years, we’ve expanded from one to eight locations in this area.
I discovered Paris Baguette only a few months ago when my wife and I went to New York City with my parents to see some Broadway shows. We were staying downtown, and just around the corner from our hotel was a Paris Baguette. We’d never heard of it, but we stopped in one morning — and we liked it so much that we went back four more times during the four days we were there. We were blown away.
One of the last times we were eating there, we started wondering if they franchised. I looked it up, and sure enough, they did. I immediately sent an email to express interest, and everything moved pretty quickly from there.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Feaster: Before going into franchising, I worked in California at a country club. I moved out to California to pursue that career, but ultimately decided to move back home to Kalamazoo to open my first Jimmy John’s.
Franchising made sense to me because it’s a way to build your own business while receiving support from people who have already figured out the systems and procedures and have a proven model. Once I opened my first location, I realized how much it simplified the process of running a business.
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?
Feaster: I was pretty ignorant to it before opening my first location, but I’ve learned a tremendous amount along the way. Anytime I give advice to friends or family who are looking to start their own business, I always recommend franchising over going it alone.
There are so many tasks that need to be done on the back end when you start a business from scratch — marketing, advertising, R&D, creating operations — and a franchisor helps with all of that. It allows you to focus more on the product and the customer. You still have to do some marketing and local work, but it’s two or three times more work to do it all on your own. Paying royalties to a franchisor is a no-brainer for the amount of support they provide. I love being able to let them play to their strengths while we focus on ours.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Feaster: Our first location will be in Portage, which is a town on the south side of Kalamazoo. Portage has been in need of and has been asking for a bakery for a while now. The city has recently put out articles stating they would like someone to open a bakery, so we’re excited to be the ones bringing it to them.
But it’s not just about filling a need. Paris Baguette is so much better than any other bakery we’ve been to. We’re stoked for the whole town to experience the food and the atmosphere.
I had been looking for another opportunity for a couple of years because Jimmy John’s is pretty tapped out in our area. I wanted something that fits our culture and had strong brand recognition but wasn’t already saturated here. Paris Baguette was the first to really excite me. Everything I read about the company — from its culture to the product to the global brand recognition — just made me more confident in the opportunity. I didn’t see any red flags, which was a big deal for me.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Feaster: We’re planning to build all six of our locations over the next three years. One next year, two the following year, and three the year after that. The first two locations will be in Kalamazoo, and the next four will be in Grand Rapids.
Our hope is to create a reliable brand that everyone in our area recognizes and trusts. We want Paris Baguette to be a household name in all of Southwest Michigan and for everyone to be able to enjoy their products as much as we do.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Feaster: A lot of people think the more stores you build as a franchisee, the harder your job becomes. But I always tell people it’s actually the opposite. The more locations you build, the easier it gets because you can add more layers of management. Once you get to four or five stores, you can afford to hire support staff that allows you to work from home more, travel more and focus on growing the business instead of working in the day-to-day. That’s something I think many owners don’t realize.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Feaster: My biggest piece of advice is to trust the franchisor and follow their systems exactly. I’ve seen many franchisees come in and try to make it their own business or reinvent the wheel, and that hurts the brand. There’s a reason why the franchisor is successful—they’ve built these systems over decades of experience.
When you buy into a franchise, you’re buying into a proven model. Follow the procedures, recipes, and standards to a T. That’s why you’re here. That’s the best way to succeed.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com or https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.
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 225 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/.
Paris Baguette
SPONSORED
An unplanned visit to Paris Baguette inspired Bret Alex Feaster to expand his portfolio and launch six locations of the bakery-café brand in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
Bret Alex Feaster wasn’t looking for just any franchise. As the owner of eight Jimmy John’s locations in southwest Michigan, he was already an experienced operator with a strong foothold in the market. But when he and his wife took a trip to New York City, they stumbled upon something unexpected: a Paris Baguette café tucked around the corner from their hotel. One visit turned into five in just four days, and by the end of their trip, they were hooked.
“One of the last times we were eating there, we started wondering if they franchised,” Feaster said. “I looked it up, and sure enough, they did. I immediately sent an email to express interest, and everything moved pretty quickly from there.”
For Feaster, the decision to invest in Paris Baguette wasn’t just about expanding his portfolio — it was about bringing something special back home. With plans to open six locations in three years, starting in Kalamazoo and expanding into Grand Rapids, he’s betting big on a brand he believes in. “Everything I read about the company — from its culture to the product to the global brand recognition — just made me more confident in the opportunity,” he said.
1851 Franchise spoke with Feaster about what drew him to Paris Baguette and his plans for growth across southwest Michigan. Here's what he had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Bret Alex Feaster: First and foremost I have to say I wouldn’t be doing this without the incredible ownership team we’ve put together – my wife Shelby, Caleb Kiebert, Summer Mencl, and Josh Nagel – all of whom I’m thrilled to be on this journey with.
When I was going into college, I knew I wanted to own my own business, but I didn’t know what kind or what that would look like. I was a golfer in high school so I chose to go into the golf industry. I figured working at country clubs would help me build the kind of connections that could eventually lead to owning a business. I moved to California and worked as a golf professional for five years.
As it turned out, my parents were the connection I needed to start a business. I moved home and opened my first Jimmy John’s in 2015 with their support. Over the past 10 years, we’ve expanded from one to eight locations in this area.
I discovered Paris Baguette only a few months ago when my wife and I went to New York City with my parents to see some Broadway shows. We were staying downtown, and just around the corner from our hotel was a Paris Baguette. We’d never heard of it, but we stopped in one morning — and we liked it so much that we went back four more times during the four days we were there. We were blown away.
One of the last times we were eating there, we started wondering if they franchised. I looked it up, and sure enough, they did. I immediately sent an email to express interest, and everything moved pretty quickly from there.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Feaster: Before going into franchising, I worked in California at a country club. I moved out to California to pursue that career, but ultimately decided to move back home to Kalamazoo to open my first Jimmy John’s.
Franchising made sense to me because it’s a way to build your own business while receiving support from people who have already figured out the systems and procedures and have a proven model. Once I opened my first location, I realized how much it simplified the process of running a business.
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?
Feaster: I was pretty ignorant to it before opening my first location, but I’ve learned a tremendous amount along the way. Anytime I give advice to friends or family who are looking to start their own business, I always recommend franchising over going it alone.
There are so many tasks that need to be done on the back end when you start a business from scratch — marketing, advertising, R&D, creating operations — and a franchisor helps with all of that. It allows you to focus more on the product and the customer. You still have to do some marketing and local work, but it’s two or three times more work to do it all on your own. Paying royalties to a franchisor is a no-brainer for the amount of support they provide. I love being able to let them play to their strengths while we focus on ours.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Feaster: Our first location will be in Portage, which is a town on the south side of Kalamazoo. Portage has been in need of and has been asking for a bakery for a while now. The city has recently put out articles stating they would like someone to open a bakery, so we’re excited to be the ones bringing it to them.
But it’s not just about filling a need. Paris Baguette is so much better than any other bakery we’ve been to. We’re stoked for the whole town to experience the food and the atmosphere.
I had been looking for another opportunity for a couple of years because Jimmy John’s is pretty tapped out in our area. I wanted something that fits our culture and had strong brand recognition but wasn’t already saturated here. Paris Baguette was the first to really excite me. Everything I read about the company — from its culture to the product to the global brand recognition — just made me more confident in the opportunity. I didn’t see any red flags, which was a big deal for me.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Feaster: We’re planning to build all six of our locations over the next three years. One next year, two the following year, and three the year after that. The first two locations will be in Kalamazoo, and the next four will be in Grand Rapids.
Our hope is to create a reliable brand that everyone in our area recognizes and trusts. We want Paris Baguette to be a household name in all of Southwest Michigan and for everyone to be able to enjoy their products as much as we do.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Feaster: A lot of people think the more stores you build as a franchisee, the harder your job becomes. But I always tell people it’s actually the opposite. The more locations you build, the easier it gets because you can add more layers of management. Once you get to four or five stores, you can afford to hire support staff that allows you to work from home more, travel more and focus on growing the business instead of working in the day-to-day. That’s something I think many owners don’t realize.
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Feaster: My biggest piece of advice is to trust the franchisor and follow their systems exactly. I’ve seen many franchisees come in and try to make it their own business or reinvent the wheel, and that hurts the brand. There’s a reason why the franchisor is successful—they’ve built these systems over decades of experience.
When you buy into a franchise, you’re buying into a proven model. Follow the procedures, recipes, and standards to a T. That’s why you’re here. That’s the best way to succeed.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com or https://1851franchise.com/parisbaguette.
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 225 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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