Dakota County Tribune Business Weekly

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the buzz ecm editorial john gessner

Check out what’s up at area businesses 3A Education is our top priority 4A Trampoline park coming to the area 5A

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date ##, 2009 january 24, 2013

Volume 30, Number # VOLUME 33, NUMBER 48

Dakota County Tribune Since 1884

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Pardon My French says au revoir Popular French bakery closes after four years in Eagan

inside biz forum

The city of Eagan has agreed to purchase Caponi Art Park, which has long served as an eclectic arts venue. tony 2A caponi

by Jessica Harper

DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE

One after another, people hoping to get a bite to eat at Pardon My French on Monday were stunned to discover the popular Eagan restaurant had closed. The French bakery at 1565 Cliff Road closed Jan. 13, two years after opening a second location in the Mall of America. That location also closed on Sunday, according to the establishment’s Facebook page. A note posted on the restaurant’s door on Jan. 14 read: “Dear Customers, We are sorry but Pardon My French had to close its doors. It’s been a pleasure to serve you the last four years. Thank you for your support and your kindness.” Seeing the sign on the door shocked and saddened Gerine Pongratz of Rosemount who describes herself as a regular customer and had stopped at Pardon My French for some baked goods. “It was my favorite place,” she said. “I always felt it was Eagan’s gold mine.” Pongratz said she often recommended the restaurant to friends and family due to its “amazing atmosphere and food.” Several other patrons expressed their dismay on Facebook. “Boo ... Huge loss for Eagan and south suburbs in general,” said Lucy Maghrak in one post. There are indications that the location in the Mall of America, which opened in 2011, wasn’t as popular as the Eagan restaurant. One Facebook comment described the Eagan location as “terrific,” but the MOA site as “always disappointing.” Customers weren’t the only ones sad to see the French bakery go. “It’s a terrible loss for so many in the region,” said Ruthe Batulis, executive director of the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Batulis said chamber members were big fans of Pardon My French. “It was a wonderful concept for the community that brought fine French cuisine to the area and enhanced the region,” she said. Pardon My French was opened in Eagan in 2008 by Frederic Klein, an experienced pastry chef from France who moved to the United States six years earlier. The restaurant offered a selection of freshly prepared food, including pastries, truffles, soups, sandwiches, salads, French pizzas and box lunches. It also had a wine bar that emphasized French wines and offered cheese, pastries and appetizers. Klein didn’t return requests for comment.

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forum

When considering estate planning, give to the people who are there for you at the times when you need them most. Rev. paul 4A jarvis

news

Longtime Department of Employment and Economic Development off icial comes to Dakota Electric. mark 19A lofthus

dakota arts

Erin Aldridge from the DuluthSuperior this Symphony week news Orchestra will Code Type: UPC Version A Stats: 0 Customer: 3242-ECM Publishers open aMAG:concert Order #: P34915-017 1.00 P.O. #: BWA: 0.0020 series inWidth: Lakeville. Ordered By: Symbol 1.4690 erin Polarity: Positive Up Symbol Height: 1.0200 Date Run: 05/29/2002 Flexo Width: 0.0000 Back Page aldridge

Photo by Jessica Harper

Eagan restaurant Pardon My French closed on Jan. 13 after serving the community for nearly five years.

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Jessica Harper is at jessica.harper@ecm-inc. com or facebook.com/sunthisweek. Photo by Jessica Harper

Regular customers expressed their dismay on Facebook upon hearing Pardon My French closed in Eagan and at the Mall of America.

General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Advertising 952-846-2011


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