New German bakery, coffeehouse rises at University Town Center

An only child, Blair Sellers always has been independent and driven.

When it came to a career, he didn’t want to climb a corporate ladder. Instead, he dreamed of becoming a business owner. The idea of a coffee shop always was in the back of his mind.

Now 26, he has opened Mama G's, a new business at University Town Center, on Dec. 15. Mama G's is a German bakery and coffeehouse. He will be the co-managing partner of the new Mama G's with his fiancé, Alyssa Freniere. It will be the fifth Mama G's in the region.

It won't be Sellers' first business. At 21, he launched Dekomats, an online company that sells custom floor mats. 

Sellers and Freniere are the first non-family members to run a Mama G’s. They are family friends of owner Beate “Mama G” Goldstein, the founder of the business. 

Photo by Madison Bierl 

“I think they're both very teachable and they love it,” Goldstein said. “They have the desire to do it. I think you don't need more than that. If you're teachable and you have the desire and vision to do it, you will learn.”

For Goldstein, her business began with moving her six kids from Germany by packing everything into four suitcases. Many of the recipes she uses to bake are from a family recipe book. Freniere learned everything she knows from Goldstein and appreciates how easy the recipes were to learn. 

Sellers said the recipes all have been brought to the U.S. from Germany. 

“Everything's artisan and handmade," Sellers said. "You can kind of feel that when you're making it and it just seems easy, because she's just so professional at what she does. She's been doing it for so long and that comes through what she's teaching you, so it doesn't feel like such a task.” 

“I have flour in my veins and not blood,” Goldstein said.

Freniere was initially inspired to pursue baking and opening a business by seeing her best friend Jacqueline Blowers, who is Goldstein's daughter, thrive at two Mama G’s locations. 

“It's amazing to see all the work and effort (Blowers) puts into it,” Freniere said. “I wanted to interact with people like this and the pastries she makes are beautiful. It's a work of art that she gets to do every day and it's a cool thing to see. It makes me want to do that and learn more.”

Goldstein said that, fundamentally, all of her bakery locations are the same, but the new location at UTC is in the most beautiful and bustling location. She said she is “in the background” to help whenever she is needed, but she wants Sellers and Freniere to "do their thing." She said it is important that the UTC location reflects Mama G’s brand, but it’s important that there is a “touch of Alyssa and a touch of Blair.”

Photo by Madison Bierl

“I can do a lot of things that come natural to me, so it's always beautiful to have the opportunity to teach, if somebody's interested or educate customers,” Goldstein said. “That makes a difference.”

Goldstein enjoys showing her customers a different side of baking and said it’s important to get outside of simple muffins, brownies and sugar cookies. Mama G’s has a variety of different pastries, breads and coffees on the menu including croissants, strudels and danishes. Sellers said there is something for everyone whether they want something sweet or savory. 

“I love interacting with people and showing a different side of baking,” Goldstein said. “There's more than just muffins and brownies or sugar-flavored cookies.” 

Goldstein said it is important to be flexible when running a business, especially on busy days where various products might sell out, causing them to continue baking in order to refill the cases. Sellers said Mondays are typically a little bit slower and Saturdays are their busiest day of the week. 

“There's always excitement but that doesn't mean everything goes perfect,” Goldstein said. “It doesn't have to be, we're all human. (Running out of a product) can happen on the first day, or on your 271st day. There's always some challenges you have to overcome but if you have the perspective, the mindset, then you overcome it. Whatever it takes.”

Photo by Madison Bierl 

Freniere said she appreciates the company’s values of faith, food, and family as those are important aspects of her own life. She wants her customers to feel like family when they walk through the door.

“You have to maintain and build relationships,” Freniere said. “You don't want someone just to feel like they're the average customer, you want to establish a routine with them. We have a lot of customers who come back, they are very loyal. Everybody is super friendly.” 

“It's about the food, yes, but it's about the comfort,” Goldstein said. “It's about a lot of people who come in here and say, ‘I like your vibe. I like your atmosphere.’ This is what makes us different, I think, from a chain, you know, because our hearts are in it. It's not just it's not just a job.”