Restaurant Owner Opens Third Paris Baguette Franchise Unit, with Seven More in Mind

Business ownership is nothing new to Sean Kim. An entrepreneur since he was only 27 years old, Kim has spent time owning and running a convenience store, liquor store and even a Korean restaurant. However, his passion for food, combined with his desire to provide a product with high quality and great taste, kept him searching for the right opportunity.

When he heard that Paris Baguette*, the bakery café concept with 4,000 units worldwide including nearly 150 in the United States, was coming to New York, he knew that this was what he had been waiting for. He had tried the bakery café a few times as a child and had fond memories of the delicious cakes and breads. 

Today, Kim is the proud owner of two Paris Baguette locations in northern Virginia, with a third location opening next summer. He still loves the brand’s products and how different they are from what you can find at other bakeries in the area. Following this next opening, Kim plans to open three more locations and, eventually, hopes to own 10 in total. 

1851 Franchise recently spoke with Kim about his journey into franchising and his plans for the future. 

PROFILE 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 had my own business with my family for about 13 years, starting with a convenience store and then a liquor store, so I have a strong background in business ownership. However, I always wanted to do a food-related business. That was my passion.

Because of this, I sold my previous businesses and opened up a small Korean restaurant with my partner about five years ago. I knew I was good at running a business from my previous experience with my parents and owning my own businesses since I was 27 years old. Even though I am a good cook, I wanted to sell a more professional product. That’s why I decided to franchise with Paris Baguette. 

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 know some people want to franchise because they want to be more absent from the shop. That’s not who I am. I'm the kind of owner who works in the shop. You need to be willing to work long hours each week for the first three to six months until everything is in motion.  

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

Kim: Paris Baguette has very unique products, which is the main reason I chose the brand. There aren’t many companies like it in the U.S. People just really seem to love the products.

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

Kim: ??I'm trying to build my way up to about 10 stores if I can. In the meantime, I want to hire people who can operate some of my locations so I only need to oversee them. Of course, I also need to make some money. Financial stability is really important and will allow me to not only expand the business, but also to pay enough back to my team members for their hard work. 

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

Kim: If you are someone who is already interested in a food-related business, Paris Baguette is a great choice. The items are unique and professionally made and people love them. You are able to serve a top quality product without having a professionally-trained chef or baker, because the franchise provides everything you need.

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

Kim: If you want to get into franchising, you first need to decide what kind of business you want to pursue. For example, I wasn’t interested in casual fast food; it’s not a bad concept, but I wanted something with a high quality and great taste. I'd love to go into fine dining at some point, even.

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 nearly 150 locations in markets across the country, making it one of the premier franchise opportunities in its category. Paris Baguette’s primary mission, executed every day by its expert staff of bakers, cakers and baristas, is to share moments of joy with guests and help guests share moments of joy with their friends and family by providing world-class cakes, pastries, coffees, breads and other French-inspired bakery café fare. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://ownaparisbaguette.com