You can save money and a long flight because Promenade Artisan Foods has brought a taste of France to the Downriver community.
Before Promenade, husband and wife team, Chelsie and Jono Brymer, were bouncing from various states and job opportunities until they began having children and decided it was time to settle down.
As a musician from a family of musicians, Jono had no particular home base. Chelsie, however, is a Downriver native. “I grew up here, my whole family is here, so we decided it was the best place to land and raise a family,” says Chelsie.
Because Downriver’s music scene wasn’t the most conducive for a musician to make a living, the couple knew they would have to do something different in terms of careers. “He wanted to have some sort of creative outlet, and I’ve always loved baking, and we loved the idea of working together,” explains Chelsie. “So, we took all of those things we wanted to do, and we landed on Promenade.”
After selling in local markets, in the summer of 2016, the Brymers opened their first storefront. Noticing a similarity between historical downtown Trenton and Paris in its walkability and proximity to parks and water views, the couple knew they had to have a French-themed bistro. It also helped that Chelsie’s grandmother was proud of her French heritage, so her family is familiar with the country’s cuisine.
“When we started, we thought we would be a coffee shop. But it turned out to be much more than that,” says Jono. Not only does Promenade serve delicious pastries and rich coffee, but it’s also the perfect place to feel a sense of community.
“[Promenade] belongs to the community,” says Chelsie. “It’s a place where our guests can feel connected to each other and connected to us. The idea is to come, sit, and stay.” Promenade accentuates this welcoming spirit by doing things like allowing local artists to display their art on the walls and incorporating a kid’s area for families.
The menu at Promenade reflects the Brymers creativity. Jono explains, “We change it up so often because we want to keep things fresh and new. Using seasonal ingredients is very important to us and getting the freshest and best food we can get our hands on.”
Besides the thriving restaurant they’ve built, Jono and Chelsie are also incredibly proud and grateful for their employees. “We have the best staff in the world!” says Chelsie. Their team of college student’s quality customer service being the best compliment to the food. “They’re bright, they’re smart, they’re fresh, they’re fun, they’re funny, they’re honest, they’re hard-working, they’re good to each other, and they’re good to us,” Chelsie gushes.
Luckily, the Trenton community has been just as welcoming to the Brymers as they have been to it. “We’ve really seen the best side of business, we’ve gotten to enjoy the community who’ve been phenomenal to us, and our guests are kind. It’s really been a sweet venture,” says Chelsie.
Although they serve something for everyone, you can’t go wrong with the Promenade – a French press coffee that is lightly seasoned with whipped cream poured on top. “It’s different than what you can get anywhere else, and it’s really special,” says Jono. Accompany your drink with the popular sea salt chocolate chip cookie, or one of their many varieties of quiche.
Chelsie and Jono are looking to duplicate their success at their new Wyandotte location, Provence. So if you’re in the area, be sure to swing by to say hello and grab something fresh and delicious. Your taste buds will thank you.
Promenade Artisan Foods is located at 2627 W. Jefferson in Trenton, and Provence is located at 3203 Biddle Blend, in Wyandotte.
