maman Launches French Marketplace in SoHo

by | Jul 13, 2017 | Dining, Events

Bonjour Marché maman!  Escape to France, as today marks the opening for the chic café and bakery concept, maman’s new retail space next door to its popular SoHo location.

Photo courtesy of Camila Gutierrez

Founded by Benjamin Sormonte and Elisa Marshall, Marché maman is the duo’s first venture into a retail space — perfectly accommodating their bakery and café brand that already has a few locations in the city, as well as one in Toronto, Canada.

For the first set of vendors in the marketplace, maman has partnered with five American and French independent merchants that fit well within the maman style including Flower Girl NYCmerciBisous, Bastide, Jamini, MilkMade and Ariana Ost.Shop sweet-smelling floral arrangements, fine children’s clothing, artisanal beauty and lifestyle products, handbags, home décor and hand-crafted ice-cream. The merchants will rotate and new ones will be introduced throughout the months.

The trend of combining retail and dining is already prevalent in Europe, with more and more US customers embracing the idea of shopping, strolling around and grabbing a bite to eat too.Once you step inside, you’re sure to instantly get a warm, fuzzy feeling. The space is designed to make you feel at home, just as maman’s café and bakery locations, with an open-plan setting, exposed brick and stripped wooden floors, which in this marketplace location has characteristic remnants of red paint from the previous owners.

The space also includes an open kitchen, where chefs, bloggers and the like will rotate and prepare delicious morsels of food. At a preview on Tuesday night, chefs cooked up recipes from cook and freelance writer Anna Watson Carl, whose book “The Yellow Table: A Celebration of Everyday Gatherings” will be available for purchase in the marketplace as well.

Reaching the back of Marché maman, you’ll venture into a dream-like, garden patio designed by west elm that will surely become your new favorite spot in the city. It’s already ours!
Photo courtesy of west elm

Downtown Magazine