QUEENS — Bakery-cafe franchise Paris Baguette is planning to launch two new locations in Central Queens this year, with the first opening in Rego Park, the chain announced.
The South Korea-based company will open at 9633 Queens Blvd., near the 63rd Drive subway station and across the street from the Rego Center Mall, in early February, the chain said. It will replace video game store GameStop which closed last year.
Paris Baguette is also planning to open a spot in Forest Hills, but the exact location hasn't been nailed down yet due to continuing lease negotiations, according to David Gleason, director of franchise development at Paris Baguette.
Gleason expects the Forest Hills location to open in late sprint or early summer, he said.
The company, which first opened as Paris Croissant in 1945, offers an extensive menu, that includes a variety of coffees, pastries, cakes, bread, soups and sandwiches.
“We think that this is what the community needs,” said Gien Tan, who will operate the Rego Park shop with his wife, Tina Ma.
“We picked that location because it’s very convenient for the residents in the community,” Tan said. “They can pick up something for breakfast when they go to work, because it’s right by the express bus stop and the subway station.”
The chain which, according to Gleason, has more than 20 locations in the New York metropolitan area, currently has five outposts in Queens — one in Sunnyside, two in Flushing, and two in Bayside, according to a store locator map for the chain.
