BY KADIE VICK | FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Bringing a taste of upscale cuisine to The Plains, Boulangerie, a French bakery, will open in downtown Auburn on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 138 N. College St.
Boulangerie will offer cakes and pies by the slice, as well as tarts, macarons, cookies, cake balls, breads, mini quiche, cupcakes, dessert bars, donuts, sweet rolls and a variety of other treats The shop will also offer custom cakes and catering options.
Owner Jessica Rizzo has a background in pastry baking and is excited to share her passion with the community.
“Everyone loves sugar, it just makes you happy,” Rizzo said.
Rizzo has approached decorating her bakery in a way that helps customers relax and feel at home.
“I feel like if you walk into a beautiful pink and purple room, it gives you the happy girl thoughts. Yes. Girl boss all day long,” she said.
Being so close to campus, Rizzo plans to stay open later in the day and have plenty of comfortable seating to cater to students who want to study and while eating delicious pastries.
Rizzo also said she wants to provide events, like cake and cookie decorating classes, for those who want to have fun with friends without having to go to bars.
“We’re here downtown; we’re in walking distance (to campus),” she said. “In winter time football season is over. There needs to be stuff to do. So if I can help facilitate that, then I shall do so.”
Rizzo said she is thankful for the overwhelming love from the community since the beginning.
“The great thing about the bakery not even being open yet, like people have been so supportive,” Rizzo says, tearing up.
Rizzo said she wants to bring French culture with a modern twist to the community.
“It means ‘bakery’ in French, but a lot of people can’t say it,” she said. “So we’re having T-shirts made with our emblem that says Boulangerie, but it says just call us ‘bougie.’ It’s in the name, and it’s such a phrase that everyone’s using right now. So we’re like, leaning into it.”
Rizzo owns three other downtown Auburn businesses in the 100 block of North College Street — Halftime, IlForno and Oz.
Halftime is a popular sports bar that serves up cold beer and dishes out pub grub. The lively atmosphere features multiple televisions on which to catch all the sports action, and regular events include trivia and bingo. Rizzo has been refurbishing and refreshening Halftime in recent weeks.
Next door is Il Forno, her Italian restaurant which features a selection of freshly-made pastas paired with fine wines from around the globe. The upscale restaurant offers fine dining in an intimate setting.
Last month, Rizzo opened Oz, a Roaring 20s style speakeasy accessible through the back entrance of Il Forno.
“The speakeasy is just kind of masculine and dark and fun and a vibe,” she said. “Then the Italian restaurant reminds me of my family and love and, you know, the sports bar and then we have the French bakery, which is just so feminine and wonderful,” Rizzo said.
Excitement over the opening of Boulangerie has reminded Rizzo how thankful she is for her community and the support they have given her.
“I want it to be a place where people feel really comfortable and they can sit and study. I feel like a lot of times aesthetic and your surroundings really impact your mood and what you do,” she said.
For more information about the French bakery, visit www.auburnboulangerie.com.