We are often asked how long we have been open, but the story started years before that!
Yann Blanchard had always been a pastry chef but after being the executive pastry chef at the Fairmont Palliser, he decided to have his own little pastry shop in Calgary.
As we were working on our business plan and decided that Mission would be the perfect fit and looking for the perfect place, a family member strolling down the street of Mission with our first child stumbled upon a bit of a mess of a house. It had a “for lease” sign and we called!
This is once all the vegetation was removed. It was actually worse the first time we saw it as it had a jungle in front of it!
That is how our relationship with our wonderful landlords started 13 years ago.
It took 3 years to go through all the permits (Land Use Re-designation, appeal, Development Permit, Building Permit) and it definitely felt even longer! All the construction was also a challenge: to take a house built in 1912 and bring it up to 2000’s codes!
Once all done and all yellow, we could ask for our business license. We got it on December 22nd 2009, worked all night and opened our doors the next day. The answer to the first question (how long we have been open) is eight and a half years!
That's a lot of macarons;
662,303 macarons in the last 4.5 years alone!
Fun fact: The house was always painted yellow when we opened but customers kept on asking us when we had done it up to two years after! Proof that sometimes, we do not pay attention!
Thank you to all our customers for making this business a success and having helped make a living to many employees/community members along the way!
What's next: Yann Haute Patisserie is invading the house next door!
Be ready for the colour purple and delicious soft ice cream flavours.
We cannot wait to tell you more about it. Berlingo is opening in a few weeks!