A long time Longmont favorite La Momo Maes Bakery is changing hands, but its new owners Marketplace Bakery assures customers that nothing else will.
The business formerly founded and owned by mother-daughter duo Cathy Fiegenschuh and Michelle Leaming opened shop in a renovated house at 624 Kimbark St on Oct. 5, 2011. Over the more than 10 years of business, the family-owned bakery outgrew the original location and into its current home at 900 S Hover St. with a cafe and walk-up pastry display.
La Momo Maes was acquired by Longmont establishment Marketplace Bakery — owned by Susan Bright and Kathy Rosser — with the sale finalized on Dec. 31 and new owners taking over the first of the year, according to Leaming.
In a Facebook post on Jan. 7, Leaming announced to customers that La Momo Maes is officially under new management. She said they decided to sell the family business about six months ago.
“Over the last two years, we have been approached to sell the business a hand full of times, but for us, the timing was never right. However, that changed about 6 months ago when Cathy had been thinking more about a partial retirement and I had been thinking about being at home more for my family,” Leaming wrote on the La Momo Maes Facebook page.
Family built the business foundation — the name La Momo Maes is a reference to different family members. Leaming said that she and Fiegenschuh had an agreement to sell the company if either of them ever wanted to leave the business.
“We said, if either one of us, you know, are kind of looking for another direction, or to take a step back, then we can just go ahead and look to sell the company. My mom and I have had a great partnership and we didn't want to go on one without the other kind of thing,” Leaming said.
According to Leaming, Marketplace Bakery also purchased the name of the business and the La Momo Maes’ recipes and existing staff will continue working under the new management. The mother-daughter pair will continue working with the business, with Fiegenschuh working as a part-time cake decorator and Leaming managing La Momo Maes’ wedding business.
“I worked hard to build a business and I didn't want to completely get out of it. I really enjoy working with weddings and so staying on part time and handling the wedding business sounded like a great opportunity,” Leaming said.
La Momo Maes new owners Bright and Rosser, have owned Marketplace Bakery since 2007. The Longmont bakery is a commercial bread supplier for local restaurants and food companies, along with selling to the public. The pair decided to purchase the bakery because they were “looking for a new adventure,” Bright said.
“We're very excited and looking forward to this great opportunity that's given to us,” Bright said.
Prior to the acquisition announcement, Marketplace Bakery posted on Dec. 28 to its social media that it was moving from its location at 1515 Main St #1 to the unit next to La Momo Maes at 900 S Hover St. The bakery wrote “We are expanding to increase our bread making capacity and provide even better customer service to our retail and wholesale customers,” in the Facebook post. The Marketplace Bakery sign is now up next to La Momo Maes.
Bright said they plan on selling their bread out of the new location, but wants to continue the recipes and service that made the La Momo Maes a Longmont staple over the years.
“We still want to offer the same quality that they've always offered,” Bright said.
