It all started when Stephanie Lock of Rustic Tart inquired about selling her pie at our Flagship store in Lakeview. It wasn’t that we didn’t find her pie absolutely delightful, it’s that we believed that something happens when an artisanal product leaves the hands of its maker. We are coffee professionals, but leave the baking at home. The next day, Stephanie came back with the idea of pop-ups. Since then, we have had different pastry vendors come in to sell their products to our customers every Saturday and Sunday in Lakeview, as well as Mon-Fri in our River North location. We have seen awesome relationships grow out of this, and have benefitted in the cross over of our vendor’s loyal fans.

What is a pop-up? Essentially, it’s a store within a store. In our case, our vendors are very independent from us. They handle all of their own payment procedures, and do not pay us to be in our space. We give them coffee, they give us treats, and we sell to the same customers. This simple idea has given us the chance to meet with all different types of people and expand our market.

We want to take the chance, now, to introduce you to our lovely vendors!

Très Jolie Pâtisserie!

Jillian has been passionate about baking and cooking for as long as she can remember. Growing up with an Austrian grandmother who always made everything from scratch, there were ample opportunities for Jillian to play the role of sous chef - and she did so with gusto. Jillian decided to study French in junior high school, fell in love with the language, and continued pursuing French all the way through college, spending her final semester in Paris. There, she spent every free moment roaming the enchanting streets, soaking in the culture and amazing food.

Back in the U.S., Jillian embarked on a lengthy copywriting career, working at a number of ad agencies in Chicago. It wasn’t until 2010 that she decided to trade in her high heels for kitchen clogs, enrolling in The French Pastry School, and following her culinary passion. Shortly after, Très Jolie Pâtisserie was born.

Working out of Kitchen Chicago, a commercially licensed shared-use kitchen, Jillian is right at home, experimenting with new recipes, ideas and flavors. Its where her creativity shines. Everything is made by hand, by Jillian. Even her croissants (her personal fave) are hand-laminated and hand-rolled - no machines involved! It’s a labor of love, but one she attends to with a smile on her face, as it brings back memories of working alongside her grandmother.

Currently, Jillian only sells her rotating menu of products through her website (tresjoliepatisserie.com), at the Nettlehorst Farmer’s Market, and when she pops up at both Bowtruss locations. Jillian loves to put together custom sweet tables and favors for clients - her products are a huge hit at weddings, birthdays, showers and corporate events. If you have a special event coming up, definitely bend her ear.

Photo credit: Très Awesome Events