Describe your business in one sentence.

Bringing the authenticity of Paris to the Pacific Northwest.

Are you an Islander? How did you decide to open a business on Mercer Island?

I do not live on the Island, and obviously I am not “from here.” However, over the last year, I have been impressed by the real sense of place that exists on Mercer Island. L’Experience Paris on Mercer Island is our second location (the first one being in Bellevue). We acquired Convivial Café, an existing coffee shop in Mercer Island.

We decided to open on Mercer Island as there is a vibrant world-traveled community with a strong appetite for authenticity. There are a lot of allegedly French places around Seattle; our goal is to be the reference, a reminiscence for people about their latest travel to Paris. In addition to being a world-traveled community, Mercer Island is the sister city of Thonon-les-Bains in France and the home of the largest French immersion school in the Seattle area, The French-American School of the Puget Sound. 

Do you remember the moment or time when you told yourself, “I have to do this”?

I have always been an entrepreneur; when it was not my main job, I always had a side initiative that was an entrepreneurial project. In this case, while working in the tech industry, I started to import wine out of frustration: I couldn’t find in the Seattle area the wine I was drinking in France. Wines from vignerons, families that have grown vines and made wines for generations, artisans who respect their terroir. Very quickly this hobby snowballed into what today are Cépaé and L’Experience Paris, as wines go with food and authentic wines go with authentic food.

What makes your business so unique?

Our key motto is authenticity. We do not cut corners. We have established a business structure that allows us to bring French chefs to make our pastries; we direct-import many products; [and] we have partnered with world famous Paris icons, like Pierre Hermé (the “Picasso of Pastry,” according to Vogue), who has trusted us with his macarons for a World Premiere, which will be available in December [2020]. Our ownership [and most of our staff are]; culturally, [this] is especially important to our claim of authenticity!

What was your experience adapting to the new COVID reality?

We have not closed during COVID, though we have adjusted our hours and focused on the to-go business, which was already one of our strengths. Of course, our overall business has been dramatically impacted; we had to reduce our team size, but we have never compromised what we stand for and day-in and day-out delivered high-quality French products that people could bring back home for joyful moments. 

We often say innovation comes from questioning the status quo. Have you uncovered new ways of doing business or launched new products/services that you had not thought of before? How did it work out?

Absolutely. We have two main lines of business that grew out of COVID:

• Takeout diners: We have every day a new [takeout] menu; most of the time [it is] French, but sometimes we venture into other cuisines with some French influences, like Morocco or the Caribbean. It has been great to receive people’s feedback and allow families to enjoy food, especially when many restaurants were closed early on.

• Charcuterie & cheese at retail: We were already offering charcuterie and cheese as part of our menu [by] working with small artisans who are not found in the large grocery stores; since COVID, we are offering those products at retail, and it has generated some great interest as people can take home charcuterie or cheese so much more interesting than the mainstream products found in grocery stores.

If there was a single product, service, or expertise you should be known for, what would you say it is?

Our most iconic product has to be the croissant: a real, authentic French croissant, made respecting the regles de l’art (the rules of the art) – never frozen, not warmed up when you order it to make you [think it’s] fresh… just a pure croissant so you can remember what it felt like when you were in Paris.

Tell us something about your business that would surprise us.  

Being authentic means also offering products that are truly Parisian. We now offer Les Interchangeables, [a brand of] masks and bracelets that are very trendy in Paris, as well as Sophie la girafe, the iconic toy of any French baby for generations! Come see for yourselves.

What is your favorite spot on Mercer Island? 

Luther Burbank Park, an oasis in the middle of the city to admire the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Since you’ve been in business on Mercer Island, what have you discovered about Islanders and the Mercer Island community in general?

It is an island for real! The community on Mercer Island is vastly different than in Bellevue, for instance, where it is much more transient. Here people make a point at supporting an Island business, want to understand your relationship to the Island, and make sure there is a thriving business community, even in challenging times.

When you are not working, what is your favorite pastime? 

There hasn’t been much “not working time” over the last couple of years; however, I am trying to take the time to spend with my wife and kids, and, if at all possible, play some basketball!

If you had to convince a non-Islander to come discover our town, what would you tell them? 

Come discover a variety of small businesses bringing diversity and what a downtown with flair should feel like. It is not an open-air mall full of franchises; it is a small business community that has the potential to thrive.

Learn more about L’Experience Paris at www.lexperienceparis.com.