2023-11-12 18:41:18
What will the famous bazaar look like in a few months, now that it no longer belongs to Galeries Lafayette? Le Figaro takes stock.
It’s a page that is turning… or not completely. After the official announcement of the takeover of the famous Bazar de l’Hôtel de Ville – more commonly known as the BHV Marais – many questions are being asked about the future of this Parisian department store. Will he change his name? Will it maintain its positioning?
Until then under the control of the Galeries Lafayette group, the BHV was officially sold to the Société des Grands Stores (SGM), a family business specializing in the rehabilitation of city center commercial assets headed by Frédéric Merlin. A maneuver completed after several months of negotiations “after obtaining the approval of the competent regulatory authorities», Specified Galeries Lafayette in a press release, which added that the Parly 2 store (located in the Westfield shopping center in Chesnay-Rocquencourt in Yvelines) is also part of the deal.
«The Galeries Lafayette group and the SGM group share the same vision of the place that large-scale retail should play in the heart of cities, and maintain relationships of trust following the affiliation of seven stores from the French Galeries Lafayette network to SGM in 2021 (Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Mans, Limoges, Orléans and Reims)», continues the group in this same press release, saying “convinced that the SGM group will be the most committed and innovative player to continue to grow the potential of these two department stores with the help of their teams».
“Preserve the DNA and values of BHV”
«We are happy and proud to be able to write, alongside the teams, a new chapter in the history of BHV Marais, in the heart of the most beautiful city in the world.», welcomed Frédéric Merlin. The president of the SGM group assures that he wants “work in depth with all employees in order to continue the growth of this prestigious store, and that of Parly 2, while preserving the DNA and values of BHV“. In addition, it carries the ambition “to offer high-quality shopping experiences, and to fully contribute to the life and entertainment of this dynamic district in the center of Paris».
In an interview given to Le Parisien last February, the latter had already announced his project of “capitalize on the deep DNA of BHV which is DIY, home, decoration, culture and leisure. And generate flow». «We are incredibly lucky to be able to write a commercial journey throughout an entire neighborhood», he then explained, clearly wishing to stand out from the neighboring Samaritaine, which opened less than a kilometer a little further on rue de Rivoli. “The positioning on ultra luxury was a mistake (…) Galeries Lafayette has started to correct the situation. We will continue in their footsteps“, he continued.
So it’s definitely an end to ultra luxury at BHV, the SGM group instead intends “further meet the expectations of Parisians by offering them a range of offers accessible to all budgets and by making BHV a destination, with quality leisure and food“. No major changes therefore, nor change of name for this building called “City Hall Bazaar» since 1860. «We will continue what Galeries Lafayette started», Promises Frédéric Merlin. A position which has not changed since, as those around him confirm to us.
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A BHV deployment in the provinces?
The idea is goodto continue the development of the two stores (BHV Marais and Parly 2) and continue to promote this very prestigious BHV brand which has proven its strength», we explain internally at SGM, confirming that it was indeed planned “to build on the strong points that have made the reputation of BHV“. That is to say DIY, home, furniture, leisure and culture. And this, “while working to renovate the store and develop the offering so that it responds to the new trends of Parisians».
Although there is currently no question of closing the store, despite “major renovation work» to come, the precise project of the SGM group has not yet been revealed. “The objective is to make it the department store of Parisians», and this, while – unlike other Parisian department stores such as Samaritaine or Galeries Lafayette – the vast majority of BHV’s clientele is Parisian. Initially, the SGM teams plan “to take the time to discuss and rely on employees who have knowledge of customers and products, while continuing to market the basics of BHV».
The biggest change could ultimately come from the seven Galeries Lafayette stores bought by the SGM group in the provinces in 2021, in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Mans, Limoges, Orléans and Reims. “The stores belong to us and we operate them under an affiliation contract», Underlines SGM, which assures us that there is no question for the moment of transforming them into BHV stores. This 2021 purchase and today’s “are two different operations“, we insist. But it is a safe bet that the SGM group will one day have the ambition to shed the Galeries Lafayette name in favor of the one that now belongs to it: that is to say “BHV”.
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