Paris Baguette, a South Korean multinational chain of bakery cafes with two locations in Phoenix, is getting ready to open several locations in the area, including a new site in Uptown at 5120 N. Central Ave.
Franchise owners Sam Yoon and Thomas Park are planning to open this new site in the former home of Blaze Pizza, next to Jinya Ramen Bar. Park tells What Now Phoenix that there is no exact timeline for this location, but they hope to open by October 2024. This is just the beginning for the duo, who tell What Now Phoenix that they hope to open eight more locations of Paris Baguette over the next three to five years in the greater Phoenix area.
Once the two open their second location in Uptown Phoenix, the group will shift their focus to a new location in Chandler. While a lease has yet to be signed, Yoon and Park expect to open this location in the second quarter of 2025, possibly in April or May. Other potential locations that the franchise owners are looking into include North Phoenix and a second location in Scottsdale, although no leases have been signed yet. Paris Baguette currently has locations in the Promenade shopping center in north Scottsdale, which Yoon and Park own, as well as inside H Mart in Mesa, which is owned by a different franchise owner.
Paris Baguette opened six new US stores in the first three months of 2024 and has signed 27 new franchise agreements so far in North America, according to a press release. The company is focusing more on building internal infrastructures to support its bid to reach 1,000 outlets across North America by 2030. The bakery-café chain currently operates 160 outlets in the US and four in Canada, with a further 100 sites in development across the two markets.
“The versatility of the Paris Baguette model and demand for our product and experience is what has made us so successful,” Eric Lavinder, Chief Development Officer, Paris Baguette North America, said in a press release. We know the brand is performing well in Canada, we’ve already signed agreements with franchisees in Puerto Rico and Guam, and our search for a Master Partner in Mexico is the start of expansion throughout Central America.”
