Franchisees Arif Nazir, Ayesha Nazir, Mahwish Ijaz, and Nawaz Ahmed are opening their French-inspired bakery café at 4957 Brownsboro Rd. on May 20, 2026.
Louisville, KY (Restaurant News Release) Paris Baguette, the bakery café concept with over 4,000 units worldwide, is growing quickly in North America. With over 300 bakery cafés open in North America and more in development, they are building a strong presence. Their latest opening is set for May 20, 2026, at 4957 Brownsboro Rd Louisville, Kentucky 40222.
The Louisville development is being led by franchisees Ayesha and Arif Nazir, along with their business partners Mahwish Ijaz and Nawaz Ahmed. To bring the first Paris Baguette to the Bluegrass State, the two couples combined a distinct mix of professional expertise, including Arif’s human-centered health care focus, Ayesha’s background in corporate finance, Mahwish’s restaurant experience and Nawaz’s entrepreneurial perspective. More than opening a bakery café, they aim to create a cultural hub designed to mentor the next generation of culinary talent.
“Our story started as fans of the brand,” Ayesha said. “We realized Louisville needs this hub of culture and we wanted to create a space where we could empower young culinary talent who have the passion but haven’t found the right kitchen yet.”
For Mahwish, one of the most encouraging parts of the process has been watching interest build locally. “It’s been exciting seeing the reaction from the community,” she said.
The Louisville café opening marks the brand’s first in the state of Kentucky. As their growth continues, Paris Baguette is looking to reach the 1,000-unit mark in the United States and Canada by 2030 while expanding through meaningful partnerships with local entrepreneurs who show a genuine interest in bringing people together over fresh-baked goods and artisan coffee beverages.
“We’re on a mission to re-establish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community across the U.S., and we’re excited to see Ayesha, Mahwish, Arif, and Nawaz bring this to life in their local trade area,” said Darren Tipton, Chief Executive Officer of Paris Baguette. “In our cafés we like to say, ‘Happy to see you. Happier to serve you.’ And we know Ayesha, Mahwish, Arif, and Nawaz will wholeheartedly embrace this approach in their neighborhood.”
About Paris Baguette
With a projected 1,000 bakery cafés in North America by 2030, Paris Baguette is on a mission to reestablish the neighborhood bakery café as the heart of the community. Paris Baguette serves craveable baked and brewed treats and creates warm and welcoming experiences through a blend of gracious service, expert craftsmanship and community connections. From decisions made behind a desk to smiles offered behind a counter, the desire to spread joy and make the world a happier place drives everything we do. Being a neighborhood bakery café means caring about those around us and finding ways to make a real impact. We do so through our “Love Baked In” programs that bring to life our commitment to serving local communities through various charitable programs and initiatives. Paris Baguette is a leader in the hospitality industry with its commitment to creating unique consumer experiences and a network of successful franchisee relationships. For information and to find the Paris Baguette location closest to you, please visit ParisBaguette.com.
Contact:
Julie Maw
Mainland
209-617-6518
jmaw@hellomainland.com