Less than a month after announcing its signed development deal with a seasoned restaurant ownership group based in El Paso, La Madeleine, the French-inspired bakery café, revealed its plans to open in the city’s Fountains at Farah shopping center.
Scheduled to open in early April in a 4,500 square-foot end cap location at the contemporary outdoor lifestyle center, the bakery café will be situated near Nordstrom Rack and T.J. Maxx. The fast casual restaurant’s design and décor will unite comfort with the French country atmosphere for which la Madeleine has become known. Wood floors, hearth fireplaces, and rustic beams, along with a lighter color palette will all accentuate the brand’s updated look and feel. The new la Madeleine locale will also feature enhanced seating options, which now includes banquette seating, high-top tables, custom-built 12-seat family tables, and a wine room with 100 year-old reclaimed wood that can be reserved for private events and parties.
The Fountains at Farah bakery café is the first of six that Franklin Mountain Bistro, the El Paso ownership group, will open in Greater El Paso and New Mexico as part of a multi-unit agreement that continues to build momentum for la Madeleine’s recently launched franchising initiative.
Paul Foster and Alejandra De La Vega Foster, fixtures in the El Paso community, are Franklin Mountain Bistro’s principal owners and the driving force behind bringing la Madeleine to El Paso. Long time fans of the brand who enjoyed visits to the bakery cafés during travels throughout the state, the Fosters’ development company led the creation of Fountains at Farah. When la Madeleine launched its franchising program, the Fosters began the process of adding la Madeleine to the center and growing the brand throughout the market.
“The loyalty commanded by the brand is remarkable. It is truly a pleasure to bring la Madeleine to El Paso, where it will bring a new fast-casual experience to the dining scene,” says De La Vega Foster, who also partners with her husband as the owner of a Starbucks in El Paso and serves as the owner/CEO of companies that operate nine Domino’s Pizza and more than 200 Del Rio convenience store locations in Juarez. “Fountains at Farah is the perfect place to bring la Madeleine. With its sophisticated look and proximity to popular stores, shoppers will be able to dine in style.”
El Paso’s new bakery café will be one of five that Dallas-based la Madeleine opens in the first quarter of 2014, bringing the total number of locations to 73. This will be the brand’s second franchise cafe since launching its franchising program in early 2012, a move that further illuminates the concept’s strength and desire to elevate its footprint in select U.S. markets with seasoned restaurant owner/operator groups. The company’s first franchise location recently opened in Lubbock.
