BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Customers held tongs, confectionery paper and white trays as they gazed upon the sweet and savory delicacies.
In one glass case: fruit-adorned parties, strawberry croissants and colorful donuts glazed with Nutella and Fruity Pebbles cereal.
In another: curry croquettes, hash brown bread and sweet potato pastries.
Paris Baguette, a new bakery and cafe at 32 W. Broad St., is a carb-o-holic's dream come true (though there also are salads and gluten-free options).
And for its owner, it's a piece of cake in a sweet life.
The Bethlehem location is Paris Baguette's fifth in Pennsylvania — the franchise, which is not from France, but Seoul, South Korea, was established in 1988.
Currently, there are more than 4,000 Paris Baguettes stores worldwide and 200 in North America.
In all of its eateries, patrons choose their treats (using the handy plastic tongs) and breads from cases, and order drinks and select cakes at the pay station.
Sharing family memories
Longtime business owner Lan Ma celebrated the grand opening of her first Paris Baguette franchise on Friday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony with members of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce; Bethlehem Mayor J. Willie Reynolds; state Rep. Steve Samuelson, D-Northampton County; and Sarah Baran from the office of U.S. Rep. Ryan McKenzie, R-Lehigh Valley.
As the group cut the ribbon, Ma, a single mom of four, jumped up and down in joy as her two oldest children, both in their 20s, looked on with pride.
When her two oldest kids were younger, she said, they'd frequent the Paris Baguette in Edison, New Jersey. (She said her go-to treat is the strawberry soft cream cake).
"I cannot tell you how excited I am to share something from my earlier life and the life of my children," Ma said.
"I always had this dream to have a bakery, a place where humans can gather together and re-establish the connections that were severed by technology and some little thing called the pandemic.
"This is my effort to reintroduce a space where you can come and hopefully everybody knows your name."
A colorful life
Those visiting the shop may recognize Ma, who once operated five vape shops and, more recently, MX RPS, a property management company, and EmbraceU, a wellness studio based in Hellertown.
Ma describes a life as colorful as the toppings atop the cakes and pastries.
Through IVF donors, Ma, now 56, gave birth to her two younger children in 2019 and 2021.
"I wasn't an outdoorsy person, but at 55 years of age, I ran my first half-marathon and I discovered that my body was able to do a lot of things people my age weren't expected to do."Paris Baguette owner Lan Ma
She calls them her "second generation kids" and divulges about her second journey to motherhood in the self-published book, "Living Longevity: How to Reset Time."
In the book, she also offers tips on mindfulness and engaging in physical activity — lessons she shares with her daughters.
"The one thing I taught my daughters is that the only thing you need to deal with is reality," she said. "You're not responsible for other people's emotions. You're not responsible for things that people imagine.
"Fear, worries, those are not reality. You do not need to waste your energy dealing with that."
Ma credits her friend, and general manager of the eatery, Jackie Seidman, for encouraging her wellness journey.
The pals met through Lehigh Valley Women Adventure, a group founded by Seidman that encourages women to engage in outdoor activities such as running and hiking.
"I wasn't an outdoorsy person, but at 55 years of age, I ran my first half-marathon and I discovered that my body was able to do a lot of things people my age weren't expected to do," Ma said.
A place to gather and share
The pair had some ideas for the franchise's decor — a purple-colored mural of Bethlehem for the wall and plenty of tables and seating options to encourage customers to stay a while.
Unlike at other chain restaurants, Ma said she wants patrons to feel welcomed, whether they're residents or new to the area.
"That's what I want this community to become, where everyone feels welcome."Paris Baguette owner Lan Ma
The 56-year-old had her own experiences with starting over in the 1990s when she moved to the United States from her native Beijing, China.
"I want this place to be the living room for the community so people gather, they share," she said.
"If you live alone or you don't have family around, you can come here and shout, 'It's my birthday!' and we will give you a piece of cake for free.
"That's what I want this community to become, where everyone feels welcome."
Bringing yummy eats, jobs to Bethlehem
At Friday's celebration. Ma was presented with proclamations from Reynolds, Samuelson and Baran.
"I say all the time that the gift we have in the city is so many people that wake up and want to do something well, and it's amazing to see the enthusiasm and inspiration," Reynolds said.
"We need the right people to come in here and bring the right vibrancy. Almost 60 jobs have been created.
"This was a block that had no energy for a long time, and now it's vibrant again."
For a complete look at Paris Baguette's menu,visit its website.
