Paris Baguette coming to San Mateo

“We are excited to have them, and we think they are going to be a good fit,” Giotinis said.

The 4,000-square-foot site would house the French-inspired bakery chain at a corner that has been vacant for several years. The location was previously a Jos. A. Bank clothing store.

The store fills a gap in a central downtown location, with the lease first signed in October following interest from multiple parties following the slowdown during the height of the pandemic. Giotinis said the owner was looking for a lighter use instead of the full-service restaurants that showed lots of interest in the site.

Drew Greenspan, the Realtor representing the tenant, said the vibrant downtown location not far from many other restaurants and businesses made it an attractive option for the tenant, who looked at different locations throughout the Peninsula. The heavy foot traffic, walkable space, good signs and other successful retailers were all pluses for the site. Paris Baguette offers cakes, sandwiches, bread, salads and other baked goods.

“I know they are very excited to be in downtown San Mateo,” Greenspan said.

The site is across the street from a Walgreens Pharmacy, with other businesses like Ultra Sushi, Sushi Sam’s, and Avenida Restaurant nearby. Other Paris Baguette locations are in Millbrae, the Stanford Shopping Center and South San Francisco.