The Vauban - Oakland

1923 ⁵

The Vauban was a French restaurant, bakery, and confectionery maker. It was started by Alexandre Laplace and Nicholas Montemand, and first opened on November 3, 1905. ¹ It was named for the Marquis de Vauban, a famed French military engineer. The business is remembered by the The Vauban Building which opened in 1923.

The first location was at 464 - 9th Street. A 1910 permit reference indicates they were having a brick oven built at 1161 Washington (1319 Washington after 1912 renumbering), ² and the 1910 directory shows them in both locations (though it lists 1155 Washington, a few doors south of 1161) and lists Laplace and Cazet, proprietors. (Leon Cazet was married to Adrienne, the sister of Alexandre's wife, Rose.)

Alexandre Laplace died in 1914, and Rose and son Frank Laplace were running the business along with Leon. In 1922, they purchased a lot on 16th Street to construct a new building. ^3,4 They opened in the new location at the end of January 1923. The opening ad lists Frank Laplace, president; J.P. Croce, vice-president; Mrs. Rose Laplace, secretary. ⁵

1923 ⁵

19051920

191519231923

The End

The Vauban appears fairly regularly in newspapers through the end of 1927, both in ads and references to groups meeting there. The last such reference found was in January 1928, with a mention of the Maccabees Past Commanders Association holding their semi-annual dinner there. ⁶

In July 1928, a small lot of groceries and Vauban candies was auctioned off. ⁷ The final reference was a trustee's sale in November, before the honorable Burton J. Wyman, referee in bankruptcy. ⁸