Paris Baguette, the neighborhood bakery café concept with 4,000 cafés worldwide including over 150 in the United States, has seen significant growth in the past year. Zahhir, who is leading the brand’s expansion in Michigan, will soon be opening in Dearborn. Having recently secured real estate at 21400 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn, MI 48124, Zahhir is on track to open his Paris Baguette in Fall 2024.
“We are thrilled to announce our newest expansion in Michigan. There’s a tremendous amount of opportunity in the bakery café space,” explained Eric Lavinder, chief development officer in a statement. “Paris Baguette is on a mission to revive the neighborhood bakery café across the nation, and our ability to stay true to our roots while embracing aggressive expansion has garnered attention that only serves to drive us forward.”
The Dearborn deal will be the second bakery café to come to Michigan. The agreement was signed by Zahhir, a Northville resident and previous owner of captured retail businesses, FedEx logistics services contractor, and franchisee with Cousins Maine Lobster. He will be pioneering the additional growth.
“This location is an excellent location to best serve the Dearborn neighborhood, and we are looking forward to opening Paris Baguette in Dearborn in the near future,” said Zahhir.
As they grow, the brand’s 3.0 prototype has played a crucial role in driving interest from both guests and prospective franchisees. Like all new openings, the Dearborn bakery café will be following the updated model, incorporating upgraded furniture, unique flooring and ceilings, rich colors and elegant lighting.
“We’re already a higher-end, higher-quality bakery, and we put a nice bow around that with the 3.0 prototype. It’s just a really nice place to indulge,” added Lavinder.
Within the $17 billion bakery segment, Paris Baguette continues to differentiate themself by offering crafted breads, cakes and pastries that are made fresh daily.
As Paris Baguette looks to their future growth, the brand is staying nimble. Though they are currently eyeing Wisconsin, Indianapolis, North Florida, Vermont, the greater Boston area, South Carolina, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas for 2024 growth, Paris Baguette is embracing a flexible development pathway that will adjust as the brand lays more roots across the country.
“We closed 2023 with 100 signings and 43 openings across North America and are looking forward to 2024 for further growth,” added Lavinder. “Even throughout the pandemic, we did not shy away from opening additional units and exploring new markets. With great year-over-year revenue increases — a 42% jump from last year — and a persistent interest in the brand from franchisees and consumers alike, we expect nothing but a strong continued growth trajectory for the brand.”
