Holly Kaiser hopes to open her new shop, Madeleine’s French Patisserie, in Franklin by Labor Day if everything goes to plan. Kaiser is busy remodeling the historic barn behind the former Market Basket store at 32654 Franklin Road and wants to bring an international selection of delicacies to the village.

“We will be offering a selection of European pastries, (croissants, pain au chocolate, tarts, and tortes), classic Europeans cookies, gelato, European-style chocolates, and ice cream sodas,” Kaiser says. She also plans to establish a small market within the store for gourmet ingredients, wine, and beer, as well as healthy grab-and-go food and prepped “you cook” meals.

This isn’t Kaiser’s first foray into the culinary arts. Originally starting her career as an architect, Kaiser launched Madeline’s in 2008 as a way to supplement her income when the architecture industry in Detroit went into “cardiac arrest”. Her delicacies proved so popular she’s decided to branch out.

“Franklin was really just a dream,” Kaiser admits. “I never really thought I could get a storefront here, but when I inquired about a completely different space this location was offered as an option. It was just what I envisioned, so I took a leap of faith and here I am.”

Kaiser sees the historic village as the perfect place to cater to a cosmopolitan palette and says she wants to “bring the world to Franklin” through food.

“Very few places exist where people from all over the world live or are living in close proximity,” she explains. Part of her world flavors initiative will be thanks to an online blogger Kaiser has commissioned. Each month her travel writer, “Madeleine Pomeroy” will chronicle cooking adventures in a location overseas, providing new recipes and gifts concepts, and beginning in Paris, France.

With plans for outdoor seating on the covered porch and lawns, Kaiser hopes people will stop by for tea, coffee, and nutritional shakes. It’s quite an alteration for the historic barn she’s chosen to establish her store in. “I chose to change the color completely,” she says, “and fill the site with beautiful landscaping.”

“I would like to have people feel like this is a lovely getaway and a wonderful place to bring their family for dessert or pick up a picnic basket for meals on the Village Green.”

Kaiser says the reaction so far from the community has been heart-warming. Upon being given the keys she was simply told “welcome home”, a comment she won’t soon forget. “We hope to be able to join forces with other local shops to drive business to the community and help to bring more awareness of what Franklin has to offer,” she says.