The owner of Cheviots Maribelle Cakery is breaking out of her cake mold to bring French pastries to downtowns Central Business District. Nine years after buying Maribelle from the original owners, Angela Grillo is branching out with her new venture, Mon Petit Choux, which is set to open in the next couple months on Court Street.
While Maribelle serves special-event cake needs, Grillo was missing a storefront; the bakerys kitchen sits on a one-way street in Cheviot that doesnt get much foot traffic. Its a great spot for private tastings; its not great for walk-ins, Grillo says.
So she kept her eyes peeled for the right space where her dream pastry shop could live.
Maribelle will remain in Cheviot, piping frosting and layering cakes, but Grillos new venture, Mon Petit Choux, seeks to serve a different need in the community.
The ultimate goal for this location is to be a high-quality pastry shop, she says. I dont want it to be super expensive, and I dont want to carry stuff that you would see at a normal bakery.
While this shop is heavily inspired by French cafés, Grillo still plans to serve the American classics, so brownie lovers can rest easy.
Mon Petit Chouxs new home will be in a light, airy space on Court Street downtown. The shop will focus primarily on pastries and leave the birthday cakes to Maribelle. Expect classic French delicacies including, but not limited to: fruit tarts, eclairs, macaron towers, croquembouche and cream puffs, the shops purposely misspelled namesake.
Mon petit chou is a French term of endearment, literally translating to my little cabbage. Court Streets future pastry shop is a play on words, replacing chou with choux, from pâte à choux, the pastry dough used to make cream puffs.
But the plan for Mon Petit Choux isnt just to serve passersby looking for a treat. There will be a lunch menu for those who want midday sustenance and espresso from Deeper Roots Coffee for those looking to break through that 2:30 p.m. fog. Eventually, Grillo wants to open the space up for elaborate events.
Mon Petit Choux, 24A W. Court St., Downtown,
facebook.com/monpetitchouxus.
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