WHAT WE LOVE

Maman's collection of beautifully designed coffee shops complete with gorgeous signature details and delicious baked goods was established in 2014 by Elisa Marshall and Ben Sormonte. Since the first store was opened in New York's Soho the brand has grown to include more than 20 locations in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Canada.

Each floral-festooned location has unique features, such as hanging tables, vintage furnishings, breadboard signs, charming wooden farm tables, and blue and white china. Maman's blue and white signature toile design decorates walls, cups, and bakery boxes. The spaces are available for celebrating events and gatherings.

In 2021 Maman: The Cookbook was published sharing over 100 of Maman's cherished family recipes including Maman classics served in their stores and the recipe for Maman's famous Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies. Don't want to bake your own? Maman ships their cookies nationwide.

"As much as the online shopping experience is taking over, I think that need for a physical and tangible experience can never be replaced. I personally am not an online shopper and love the experience of ‘shopping’. The hunt, the find & the satisfaction of finding a beautiful store & that perfect thing you were looking for (….or in many cases not at all)."

Maman, Soho

Maman, Nomad


THE SHOPS

Who designs Maman shops?  Myself and my partner, Ben, look after all the design for the shops. We commissioned Candice Kaye to design the blue and white Toile-style wallpaper and pattern that decorates our cups.

What is Maman famous for?  At Maman, we are most known for our nutty chocolate chip cookies (Oprah named them one of her favorite things in 2017).

Who are Maman customers?  I think Marche Maman attracts people who love beautiful things – from fashion to home, to food and even pretty coffee cups, attention to details and curating all things beautifully, naturally attract a like-minded clientele. Especially being in Soho, I feel there is a higher concentration of those who appreciate this. We want to create an environment where everything you see, touch, smell, and taste is memorable, beautiful, and of course delicious!

Elisa Marhall & Ben Sormonte, shopkeepers at Maman Coffee Shops


THE SHOPKEEPERS

Who inspires you?  My maman.

What inspires you?  I take inspiration from everywhere, from a conversation with a stranger to a sign on the street corner. I am a very creative person and always have something brewing in my mind so I am always look for inspiration in my everyday life in the small things.

Before I was a shopkeeper, I….  was a buyer, merchandiser, interior designer, event planner, baker & caterer…and those are all still my titles today! Growing up, I never had that ‘ what do you want to be when you grow up’  kind of thing. It was always a mixture of a hundred things, from a fashion designer, to a baker, to an event planner, an interior designer or the next Martha Stewart. I found myself juggling numerous ‘careers’ and passions with not enough hours in the day to do everything that I loved. I couldn’t find the perfect job, so I had to invent it, and put it all together under one roof (or 6 at this point).

Maman, Hudson


ON THE FUTURE OF RETAIL

"To me there are so many products that you need to see, touch, smell, try etc. that the online shopping experience does not provide.

The dining out experience will never go away, and will always stay relevant, but I think more brands need to realize the positive impact there is in merging the two together. Dining out these days especially in NYC, is also oversaturated and we need to be creative in offering an experience as opposed to just good food."

Maman, Greenpoint

Maman, Upper East Side

Photography by Camila Gutierrez