Maman, the French-inspired café chain, is scheduled to open in Rye in the next few months, marking its first foray into Westchester.
Known for its rustic-chic aesthetic and Oprah-favorited chocolate chip cookies, maman will seat about two dozen diners at 64 Purchase St., a storefront the Snackery bakery café vacated in January.
“We’re always looking for neighborhoods that naturally align with maman’s sense of warmth and community, and Rye really stood out to us,” said Elisa Marshall, co-founder of the chain, which has 55 outlets in the U.S. and Canada.
Another empty storefront downtown sprang to life on March 19, when Baxter in Rye began selling men’s and women’s apparel at 57 Purchase St., the site of a Capital One bank branch that closed during the pandemic.
The upscale emporium has enjoyed strong sales during its first few weeks, said founder Timothy Baxter, a longtime retail executive and Rye resident who hopes this store will be the first of many.
“We actually sold out of many items on the first week but were able to get reorders in quickly to fill the demand,” he said.
Two long-standing programs that attract shoppers to Rye recently announced their plans to return.
The Rye Farmer’s Market, first held in 2004, will open for the 2026 season on April 26. A rotating roster of 27 vendors will sell everything from baked goods to organic produce on Sunday mornings through Thanksgiving in the parking lot off Theodore Fremd Ave. behind Purchase St.
Three new merchants will join the cadre of small businesses selling their wares in tented stalls from 8:30 a.m to 1 p.m.: The Wild Radish (prepared foods), Liquid Fables (locally sourced canned cocktails), and Squeaky Clean Snacks (nutrient-rich kids’ snacks).
Another returning downtown event is the Rye Chamber of Commerce’s annual downtown sidewalk sale. This year, the sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 16, 17, and 18.
Chamber co-President Samantha Benson expects local businesses will provide shoppers with great deals on merchandise and services once again.
