Beaucoup Bakery opened doors in 2012. Current co-owners Betty and Jacky Hung had worked at Beaucoup before they bought the bakery from original owner Jackie Kai Ellis in 2017.

Since becoming owners themselves, the duo has focused their energy on carrying the bakery forward with the same attention to detail that gained it’s reputation as one of the most inventive (and consistently delicious) sources of Parisian-inspired pastries in Vancouver.

As Beaucoup celebrates its tenth year of business, the siblings announce that they are ready to expand to a second location: Beaucoup St. Regis will open on the ground floor of Vancouver’s historic St. Regis Hotel at the corner of Seymour Street and Dunsmuir later this fall.

“We had been on the lookout for a new location for a few years. When the opportunity came up with the St. Regis Hotel Vancouver, we met with Jeremy [Roncoroni] and the team and knew they would be great partners for us. The St. Regis Hotel is rich in history and full of stories. And soon, Beaucoup will be part of those stories – a place for guests to relax and be transported to another world when they enter our doors.”

To help achieve their goal, the Hungs are working with award-winning design firm Ste. Marie Studio. Ste Marie has been brought on board to transform the 1,300 square foot space (previously a Starbucks) into an intimate room with a ‘European feel’ that gels more appropriately with the Hotel and reflects Beaucoup’s unique identity. A branding update is also in the works, with the assistance of Glasfurd & Walker; and, as I understand it, the finished product will be slightly more polished and contemporary, aligning with the aesthetics of the new downtown address.

Last week, I took a tour around the space with Betty and Jacky Hung, as well as St. Regis Hotel General Manager Jeremy Roncoroni. The entry – lined with what I assume is custom-designed wallpaper – is stylish and spacious (particularly when compared to Beaucoup’s Fir Street entry, which is small and tight, and mostly made of stairs). Inside, the room is open and airy. The soft colour palette, gentle curves, and marble finishes make the space feel refined but inviting. Even under drywall dust and the clutter of tools and ladders, the space is coming together.

Note: Renderings below show Ste. Marie’s vision, for reference. The photo gallery at the end of this story provides images of the space under construction. 

The food program at Beaucoup St. Regis will be much the same as its westside sister location, with some notable additions including an amped-up savoury selection (sandwiches) and cakes. While I have seen savoury items appear on the bakery’s menu in the past, the cake situation takes us into a whole new Beaucoup universe, which feels right as the bakery enters its second decade. Here’s to onward and upward!

There will be seven tables (a total of 20 seats) with some seating available outside in good weather. Though still covered by brown paper, the large colonial-style windows with grid pattern panes will not only let in natural light, but also provide a view of the busy downtown streetscape for guests to take in as they relax inside with their coffee and pastries.

”We wanted to create a bakery/cafe experience that felt transformative as soon as you enter. A little respite from the busy downtown. Our goal is to keep the spirit of our Fir Street location alive but in a new, elevated retail experience for our patrons and local community of downtown.”

If all goes well, display cases will be loaded with fresh croissants this fall. Keep an eye on Beaucoup’s IG feed for the official opening date, and while you’re waiting for the doors to open, take a look inside…