A new bakery opens in North Quincy. Here's what we know

QUINCY ? Paris Baguette, an international chain that originated in South Korea, opened its latest bakery to the public Monday at 259 Hancock St. in North Quincy.

Hundreds of invited guests visited the bakery Sunday for a soft opening. The owner, Gong Lu, invited tenants of the 600-unit Abby apartment complex to enjoy three pastries, a piece of cake and a beverage, all for free, as his employees honed their skills in the kitchen and at the register.

The bakery's 3,700-square-foot interior is clean, brightly lit and holds plenty of seating. Paris Baguette has a blue and white color scheme, a patterned tile floor and a Quincy- and Boston-themed mural along one of the walls.

"It looks gorgeous," Lu said as he welcomed a steady flow of visitors at the door.

Pastries, cakes, sandwiches and more. Paris Baguette's wide array of offerings

Lu ushered guests to where a wide variety of sweet and savory pastries beckoned from glass display cases. Menu items included croissants, tarts, mochi doughnuts, buns and more. Customers use tongs, which are washed after each use and returned to the front of the store.

Cakes are displayed at the back of the store, near the checkout register. On Sunday, guests chose between a chocolate ganache and a souffle cheesecake.

Lu said the pastries and cakes are baked fresh on-site every day. Sandwiches and salads are prepared daily as well. Most menu items can be picked up and enjoyed right away, but some cakes for birthdays and holidays have to be ordered in advance.

Lu said he's excited about the bakery's location within The Abby, a commercial and residential development running parallel to North Quincy Station. He said the third of The Abby's three large residential buildings opened this month and people are starting to move in.

Abby tenants invited in for free samples during trial run

Among the many Abby tenants visiting Paris Baguette on Sunday were Raquel Saenz and Pol Pardini. Raquel, who is from Colombia, held their infant daughter in a sling carrier. She works for a local nonprofit that provides services to newly arriving immigrants.

Pol, who is from Spain, is pursing a Ph.D. in philosophy at Boston University. The couple moved to Quincy about eight months ago from Boston.

"We love North Quincy," Pol said. "It's quieter (than Boston), more chill. I like the pace. It feels more like home."

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Pol said pastries and cafes are important elements of Spanish and Colombian culture. He was eating a puff pastry with custard creme filling topped with raspberries.

"It's my favorite of all time," he said. "We're going to leave half our paychecks here."

Raquel said they've been eagerly awaiting the opening for months.

"I'm amazed by the pastries," she said. "I've tried several and they're delicious."

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Seated at another table with a tray of assorted pastries was Herb Entwistle, of Squantum, the broker and owner of Cityscapes International Realty who found the North Quincy site for Lu.

"I'm really excited," Entwistle said. "(Paris Baguette) is a really good brand. It will do extremely well at this location."

What is Paris Baguette? A rapidly expanding franchise

Paris Baguette is a South Korean company that opened its first location in Seoul almost 40 years ago. It has since expanded to more than 3,600 locations worldwide and has more than 150 in the United States.

The only other Massachusetts location, also owned by Lu, is inside the H Mart, a Korean-owned Asian grocery store, on Massachusetts Avenue in the Central Square neighborhood of Cambridge.

District Manager Brice Sauers said the chain first opened in the U.S. about 15 years ago, starting on the West Coast and then expanding rapidly, especially in the Northeast.

"This is No. 153," Sauers said, referring to the North Quincy site. He said he expects 70 more American branches in 2024 and more than 1,000 across the country by 2030.

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Some of those might be opened by Lu in Massachusetts. He said he's been occupied with the Quincy site for the past several months, but his plan is to open "as many as possible." Lu said he hasn't yet decided on sites for future bakeries.

Paris Baguette is the second international Korean-French bakery chain to open in North Quincy this year. In July, Tous les Jours opened on Billings Road.

There is free parking for Paris Baguette in the lot under The Abby. Most of the spots are reserved for Target shoppers, but 50 spaces have been designated for the bakery. Signs that point out Paris Baguette parking aren't up yet, but Lu said visitors should park in the spaces on the end of the lot closer to the bakery.

The bakery will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week and 365 days a year.

"On Christmas too," Lu said.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: International bakery chain Paris Baguette opens in North Quincy