The first 100 people through the door at La Madeleine Bakery & Café on Wednesday, Aug. 19, scored free bread for a year.
The French-inspired chain opens its first Woodlands location at 7901 Research Forest Drive, Suite 1700, in The Plazas at Alden Bridge. Complimentary coffee and bakery samples will be served outside starting at 6 a.m. as early birds line up for the bread giveaway.
Doors opened at 7 a.m.
Grand opening hours run to 9 p.m., according to Hello Woodlands, which got a first look at the café during a ribbon-cutting and showcase hosted by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Aug. 17.
La Madeleine's menu covers all-day breakfast, brunch, soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and entrées alongside a bakery case of fresh bread, pastries and desserts. The Dallas-headquartered chain says it operates nearly 90 locations across the U.S. and two international cafés in Bangalore, India.
Patrick Esquerré, a Loire Valley native, founded the first la Madeleine on Mockingbird Lane in Dallas near Southern Methodist University in February 1983. Neiman Marcus founder Stanley Marcus encouraged the venture. French restaurant group Groupe Le Duff acquired the company in 2001 and still operates the brand from Dallas.
The Woodlands location marks la Madeleine's first café in the community, though the chain has maintained a presence in the broader Houston market for years. The new café is at 7901 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77382.
