Former La Madeleine execs buy into 10-unit Celebrity Cafe

DALLAS

The venture-capital firm Investar of Irving, Texas, has acquired the 10-unit Celebrity Café & Bakery here from founders Bill and Barbara Harris. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Those involved in the Investar-financed deal include: Mark Menking, former president of La Madeleine Bakery & Café; Juan Muldoon, former president of Bimbo Bakeries USA (which makes Mrs. Baird’s bread) and the managing director of Investar; and Brian Benedict, formerly of Café Brazil and La Madeleine. Celebrity has five company-owned and five franchised units.

The Harrises founded the Celebrity chain in 1989.

Investar said Menking will provide strategic direction for Celebrity, and Benedict will oversee day-to-day operations.