When Laurent “Lou” Correa segued from an athletic career of relaying basketballs to retailing as the co-owner of a San Fernando Valley patiserrie with wife Karima, he brought a bit of Paris with him to Burbank.
As the owners of Lou, the French on the Block, an intimate French bakery with a handful of sidewalk café-style tables located on the Toluca Lake border, Lou and Karima Correa — both native Parisians — have transported a slice of the Avenue des Champs-Elysees to West Riverside Drive. There, you can delight in an array of baguette sandwiches loaded with everything from jambon (ham) to creamy cheese like brie or Boursin with sliced cucumbers. And, of course, expect the full array of the types of pastries which put the City of Light on the culinary map, including chocolate eclairs, pain au chocolat, pain aux raisin and almond croissants. Monsieur and Madame Correa bake their pastries on-site from scratch. In fact, before opening their shop in June 2016, Lou spent countless hours finding out the secret to baking authentic French breads and pastries using American ingredients. Question: What’s the best aspect of running your own business? Answer: To be able to create my own bubble, create my own energy, and bring my own soul.
I get to build and cultivate the culture of my business.
And the worst? I have different obstacles every single day that must be overcome. I have to remind myself to believe that I will make it. I must coach myself to ignore those voices who would try to make me quit in a second.
As you were developing your business, can you talk about segueing from professional sports to a retail food business? I was playing professional basketball in France. I was frequently injured. I decided to enter the Green Card lottery and happened to win. The French cliché is to open a French bakery in America, so I did. One thing I didn’t know is that I would actually love it. The challenges that come with opening a French bakery in America make me feel like I am still playing basketball. I practice and practice until I get good. Once I became good, I want to become excellent.
Transitioning from basketball to pastry chef was pretty easy for me. It’s always the same energy, work and determination.
Other than the COVID year, what’s the biggest challenge that your business has faced? And how did you deal with it? The biggest challenge we face is being new to the world of a business owner. As I go about learning and growing, I also attract people who may not have the best interest in me or my business. I must watch out for that. Knowledge is key. Being more knowledgeable is what saved us.
Also: How has the COVID situation affected your business in 2020 and how have you navigated your business through the pandemic? The COVID-19 situation did affect the business at first. We are grateful and thankful for our community that came out every weekend to support us. They support us by coming from far away, by sharing Instagram posts, and talking to their family and friends about us. My staff that stayed with us played a big role in us staying open. They were here at the very beginning when we didn’t know what COVID was, but we knew it was dangerous.
What advice would you give someone who’s about to start their own business? Don’t be in a hurry to have the perks that come with being an entrepreneur because it can become a curse. Create your own world, create a world where people feel welcome and believe in you. Eventually people will believe in you too.