The Connection

Grand Opening of Paris Baguette in Herndon

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Photo by Mercia Hobson/The Connection

Paris Baguette celebrates its opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Dec. 15, 2023. Front row from left, Art Anselene, retired town manager, Town of Herndon; Jeff Fairfield, executive director of The Ruth and Hal Launders Charitable Trust; Liana Llanos, baker at Paris Baguette; Alma Causevic Siddiqui and her husband, Farooq Siddiqui, Paris Baguette Herndon owners; Fairfax County Supervisor John W. Foust (D-Draneville); and (back row) John Mosesso, membership services Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce.

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Photo by Mercia Hobson/The Connection

Pastries and cakes at Paris Baguette, a bakery café franchise

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Photo by Mercia Hobson/The Connection

Bakery café patrons at Paris Baguette in Herndon

Grand Opening of Paris Baguette in Herndon

Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce helps celebrate with ribbon cutting.

<1b>By Mercia Hobson

<2b>The Connection

A range of French-inspired freshly baked pastries, salads, sandwiches, and Lavazza coffee for takeout or dine-in abound at the recently opened Paris Baguette Bakery Café in Herndon. 

On Friday, Dec. 15, Alma Causevic Siddiqui's childhood dream came true when the Dulles Chamber of Commerce hosted the bakery café's ribbon-cutting, ceremonially marking its opening. Family, friends, members of the chamber, bakery staff, and an elected official joined the new franchise in the celebration. Paris Baguette is located at 2324 Silver Arrow Way in the Arrowbrook Centre, a one-minute drive from the Dulles Toll Road and a 10-minute walk from the Innovation Center station on the Silver Line.

Paris Baguette boasts an elevated guest experience yet is a cozy bakery café with a staff of trained bakers and baristas. It is where family and friends can get together to enjoy various pastries, croissants, sandwiches, cakes, breads, and more. They can also purchase items to share later with family and friends.

According to Siddiqui, her love and passion for architecture and design correlate with her love of baking. There are many ways the two professions are alike if one looks closely. Both start with materials that, when combined make something more significant than the sum of its parts. Presentation is equally important in both professions, according to Nacht & Lewis, an innovative design firm, “We eat with our eyes first.”

“I have worked in the construction industry, and for the longest time, I've thought about opening a bakery or a coffee shop… When I stumbled upon Paris Baguette, I immediately fell in love with the quality and variety of its products and knew I wanted to bring it to my local community,” Siddiqui said. The upscale bakery café's business plan assists her every step of the way.

Siddiqui chose Herndon because no other franchise locations are nearby, and the brand is growing throughout Virginia. “With the continued growth of Herndon's population, there will be an increase in business openings as well,” she said.