By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—On any given day in downtown Brandon, you’ll see a steady stream of folks in and out of Gourmet Provence on Center Street, picking up their morning coffee, a sandwich for lunch, a bottle of wine, or a cake for someone’s birthday. But change is in the air. After 18 years, Robert and Line Barral—who also own Café Provence just up the street—have sold the bakery to fellow Brandonites Matt and Carrie Lewis. The transfer officially takes place on June 5.
The Lewises moved to Brandon from Florida 10 years ago. Carrie worked in advertising and public relations after college and has been a nurse at Middlebury Animal Hospital for the last 8 years. She grew up working in her grandparents’ Hallmark store, where she learned the importance of customer service.
Matt has an eclectic background, having worked as a sailing instructor, a carpenter, a restaurant manager, and a rock-climbing gym manager. When he and Carrie moved to Brandon, he was working as a consultant with AT&T, a job which allowed him to work remotely. When his contract with AT&T recently came to an end, he and Carrie decided to take advantage of the chance to do something new.
As foodies, they knew they wanted to do something in that field. When an opportunity in Middlebury fell through, they realized there was something unique available practically in their own backyard: Gourmet Provence.
“I said to Matt, ‘Let’s do it,’” recalled Carrie in a conversation at the bakery she’s about to take over. “The location is fantastic. Brandon is in an upswing. The town looks beautiful and there’s a lot of new energy.”
“It’s a very special spot,” added Matt.
They plan to retain the staff and the offerings that people have come to love and expect while adding other options, such as wood-fired pizza and artisanal meats. They also hope to turn Gourmet Provence into an evening destination, working in sync with Red Clover Ale Company just two doors down. They’d like to expand Gourmet’s range to serve that particular market, a younger crowd that appreciates artisanal food and is often looking for a place to go when other food venues in town are closed.
“We’re hoping to have a point of sale right in Red Clover so people can order directly from us from there,” said Carrie. “And Matt really, really loves making pizza.”
“It’s exciting to see the pizza blow up right in front of you,” Matt laughed.
Robert and Line Barral had been looking for buyers for both the restaurant and the bakery. They recently sold the physical building that the restaurant and Center Street Bar occupy but were still looking to sell the restaurant and bakery businesses.
“We feel it’s time to semi-retire and we felt they were very eager,” said Line in a separate phone conversation. “They’re very eager to learn, especially Matt. It was his dream to make pizza.”
The Barrals will continue to operate the Café Provence until they find a buyer, and the bakery will continue to supply the restaurant with desserts and other items, according to Line.
Matt and Carrie see their project as an update of the business and not as a complete reinvention. They’re considering changing the name but will continue as Gourmet Provence for now. Their goal is to transition as seamlessly as possible, with as few inconveniences as possible to the loyal customer base, who can continue to rely on the bakery for coffee, lunch, and baked goods.
The one bump in the road will be the new point-of-sale system that the Lewises plan to install: it won’t be able to process existing gift cards. The Lewises caution that any card with a current balance should be depleted before June 5.
“We really love the community here,” said Carrie. “We want everyone to be part of what we’re creating. This town is like a little family.”
