Matines Café: From France to Wayne

Walk into Matines Café on a morning in Wayne, and you'll find more than fresh croissants and espresso. You'll find a small piece of France, built through years of experience, risk-taking, and a passion for bringing people together.

For co-owner Arthur de Bruc, the journey to Philadelphia began thousands of miles away.

Arthur was raised in Paris and has family roots in Brittany, while his wife, Amanda, grew up in Paris in a French-American household. After moving to the United States in 2014, the couple first helped Amanda's sister launch a bakery and café in Florida, gaining valuable experience before opening Café M in Savannah, Georgia.

The café earned widespread recognition and became a local favorite. After six successful years, Arthur and Amanda sold the business and looked for a place where they could build something new. That next chapter began in 2022, when they opened Matines Café in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill neighborhood. He then opened another Café on the Main Line, in Wayne. Today, when they aren't welcoming customers, they enjoy exploring the Wissahickon Valley with their two children and their family dog.

While customers often come for buttery pastries or freshly brewed coffee, Arthur believes the café's true offering is something less tangible.

"Our goal is to bring the French café dining experience to our guests," he explains.

For Arthur, that experience is centered around connection. Rather than rushing in and out with a coffee, French cafés invite people to slow down, enjoy conversation, and spend time together. Creating that atmosphere, he says, is the most rewarding part of owning the business.

Despite the warm atmosphere customers experience, running a café is anything but relaxing behind the scenes.

One reality many people don't see is that every day begins from scratch.

"You can have a great day," Arthur says, "and the next day you do the exact same thing, but somehow it doesn't go well."

Unlike many businesses where success builds steadily over time, cafés restart every morning. Fresh pastries must be baked, ingredients prepared, staff coordinated, and customers welcomed with the same care as the day before. That unpredictability can make the industry stressful.

Still, Arthur says the greatest reward isn't financial.

"When you enjoy what you do, people appreciate it and share good feedback, which is more important than revenue."

Leading a business also means leading people. Arthur believes much of his role is supporting both his employees and customers.

"You have to be everywhere, see everything, have a good team, support your staff," he says. "My job is to make my staff and my customers happy."

Looking beyond his own business, Arthur emphasizes the importance of supporting local businesses that give communities their unique character. He also praises the Main Line for its diversity, international character, and abundance of places to live, shop, and dine.

For students and aspiring entrepreneurs, Arthur's advice is simple.

"Follow your dreams. Give it a try. Don't be scared to try new things!"

Building a business, he notes, is never a solo effort. Learning to trust others and delegate responsibilities is one of the hardest but most valuable lessons an entrepreneur can learn.

Arthur's journey from France to Florida, Savannah, and finally the Main Line shows that successful businesses are built on the community they are rooted in.