Le Bon Marché: World's oldest department store (2024)

Le Bon Marché: World's oldest department store (1)

Laura Millman Meagher Le Bon Marché: World's oldest department store (2)

Laura Millman Meagher

I DREAM THEREFORE I AM ! ... COACHING YOUR PRO/PERSO DREAMS! Emmy Awarded Journalist/Producer/Host; P.Caster; English/Public Speaking For Non-Native Speakers; DGA Assoc. Director/Stage Mngr; Tour Guide; DREAMS COME TRUE!

Published Mar 4, 2020

World's oldest department store feels like the streets of Paris

At Le Bon Marché department store in Paris, which was founded in 1852 and holds the title of the oldest and longest-running department store in the world, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut pioneered retail concepts many people probably take for granted.

The husband and wife team were revolutionary in this fast-changing industry called retail. Le Bon Marché bills itself as the small, big department store, a play on words in French: le petit grand magasin.

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Le Bon Marché: World's oldest department store (2024)

FAQs

What is the oldest dept store in the world? ›

However, the first reliably dated department store to be established, was Harding, Howell & Co., which opened in 1796 on Pall Mall, London. (The oldest department store chain may be Debenhams, which was established in 1778 and closed in 2021. It is the longest trading defunct British retailer.)

Which is the world's first store Le Bon Marché? ›

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche was the first department store in the world. It opened in 1852 in Paris at the instigation of Aristide Boucicaut and his wife Marguerite. They were both in favor of “a new kind of store that would thrill all the senses”.

What did the Bon Marche sell? ›

History. A novelty shop called Le Bon Marché was founded in Paris in 1838 to sell lace, ribbons, sheets, mattresses, buttons, umbrellas and other assorted goods.

What is the oldest store that is still open? ›

Gray's General Store is a general store located at 4 Main Street in Adamsville, Rhode Island.

What is the oldest department store in the US? ›

Though the founder of the modern-day Macy's department stores couldn't seem to spin gold from the prospecting 49ers, he did produce an East Coast hit when he launched New York City's first department store in 1858. R. H.

What is the oldest retail store in the US? ›

The Moravian Book Shop, founded in 1745, is the oldest retailer in America.

When did Macys take over the Bon Marche? ›

In August 2003, Federated "rebranded" The Bon Marché, turning it into Bon-Macy's. Federated also tacked Macy's onto the names of four other regional chains under its umbrella (Burdines in Florida, Lazarus in the Midwest, Goldsmith's in Tennessee, and Rich's in the Southeast).

Who owns Bon Marche now? ›

Mr Chima retired and left two sons to run the business, before they sold to the Peaco*ck Group in July 2002.

What was the very first department store? ›

The Bon Marché in Paris, which began as a small shop in the early 19th century, is widely considered the first department store. John Wanamaker carried the concept to the United States in 1875 by purchasing a rail-freight depot in his native Philadelphia and populating it with a collection of specialty retailers.

Is Bonmarché for old ladies? ›

Mrs Butterwick decided that the key to Bonmarche's success was to focus solely on older women.

Has Bonmarché gone out of business? ›

In late 2020, fashion retailer Bonmarché fell into administration for the second time in 14 months, placing 1,500 jobs at risk. Now, joint administrators from RSM have announced that they have completed the company's sale to Purepay Retail, which is backed by an international investor consortium.

Is Bonmarché still in business? ›

All stores currently remain open while the future of the company is assessed. The retailer was latterly owned by Edinburgh Woollen Mill boss Philip Day's investment vehicle Spectre Holdings, after Day succeeded in building up an 82% stake in the business in mid-2019.

What is the oldest five and dime in the US? ›

With a history that dates back to 1908, Berdine's Five & Dime is America's oldest Five and Dime store. When you walk through the doors of this treasure, you will feel as though you've travelled back a century. This store is located at 106 N Court St., Harrisville, West Virginia.

What was the old store called Best? ›

Best Products Company, Inc., or simply Best, was a chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis in 1957 and formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

What is the longest running store in the world? ›

At Le Bon Marché department store in Paris, which was founded in 1852 and holds the title of the oldest and longest-running department store in the world, Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut pioneered retail concepts many people probably take for granted.

What was the largest single store in America? ›

World's Largest Store: Macy's Herald Square

"Macy's, established in 1858, is the Great American Department Store—an iconic retailing brand over 740 stores operating coast-to-coast and online," the official website says.

What do you call a store that sells everything? ›

general store

noun. American a shop that sells a wide range of products, often found in small communities.

What is the oldest New York department store? ›

Macy's is a popular American department store that was first established in 1858. Its flagship store at Herald Square was originally built in 1902, covering over 1.25 million sq ft of shopping space. It's regarded as one of the USA's oldest and largest department store chains.

What's the oldest grocery store? ›

He worked hard and saved his money. Then, on September 11, 1916, in Memphis, he opened the first supermarket in the world, Piggly Wiggly. In his new supermarket, the customer no longer had to give a list to a clerk but would pick their own items.

Is Jcpenney older than Macy's? ›

Macy's Inc. (M) - Get Free Report is the older sister (159 years) to J.C. Penney Co.

What is the oldest Walmart store? ›

On July 2, 1962, Sam Walton opens the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas. The Walton family owns 24 stores, ringing up $12.7 million in sales.

What does Bonmarche mean in French? ›

Literally, “good market

When did the Bon Marche close? ›

What did Macy's used to be called? ›

The company changed its name from Federated Department Stores, Inc., to Macy's, Inc., in 2007.

Has Bonmarché been saved? ›

The owner of Edinburgh Woollen Mill has secured a deal to rescue the brand and sister businesses Ponden Home and Bonmarche from disappearing for good after it crashed into administration last year.

What's happened to Bonmarché? ›

It has acquired all of Bonmarche's remaining stock, as well as the head office site and distribution centre in Wakefield. A total of 72 stores will remain open, meaning 531 jobs will now transfer to Purepay. However, 148 stores will not reopen when lockdown restrictions are lifted.

What was so innovative about Le Bon Marché? ›

The Boucicauts' innovative approach was visionary and daring, offering fixed prices, reduced margins, home delivery, exchange of articles, mail order, white month, sales, private concerts, a reading room and a gallery of paintings, etc.

What is the largest department store in the United States? ›

Macy's Herald Square is the largest department store in the US, with 1.25 million square feet of retail space across 12 floors. The department store moved to this location, which is an entire city block, in 1902, according to Macy's Inc.

What department store was before Walmart? ›

The history of Walmart, an American discount department store chain, began in 1950 when businessman Sam Walton purchased a store from Luther E. Harrison in Bentonville, Arkansas, and opened Walton's 5 & 10.

What was a general store called in the 1800s? ›

The General Store.

These general stores, mercantile's, or emporiums, served rural populations of small towns and villages, and the farmers and ranchers in the surrounding areas. They offered a place where people could find food and necessities that would have otherwise been difficult to obtain.

What should a 60 year old woman wear in Paris? ›

Keep It Simple. A French woman over 50 will never wear overly-complicated clothing, as it can make her look older than she is. The best thing to do is keep it simple by wearing plain pieces that don't have patterns or embellishments.

Can a 65 year old woman wear a dress above the knee? ›

Knee length

Right at the knee is typically the most flattering dress length for women over 60. I suggest opting for a dress that's either JUST above the knee (just enough so you can see your knee) or just below. This will create the illusion of length on your frame while keeping it age-appropriate!

Is Bonmarché in trouble? ›

Women's fashion chain Bonmarché has fallen into administration, putting more than 1,500 jobs at risk. Bonmarché, which has 225 stores around the country, was owned by retail tycoon Philip Day. His other chains - Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Peaco*cks and Ponden Home stores - collapsed into administration last month.

Who bought Dress Barn? ›

Dressbarn.com (branded as dressbarn) is an online retailer owned by Retail Ecommerce Ventures.

What is the rarest dime made? ›

1894-S Barber Dime - $1,997,500

One of the rarest US coins in existence according PCGS Coin Trackers, the 1894-S Barber dime has only nine known examples today. A proof copy of a coin they didn't end up minting that year, there were originally 24 struck. One sold for $1,997,500 in January of 2016.

What is the hardest dime to find? ›

1968 Roosevelt Dime with missing mint mark “S” is the rarest dime of all the Roosevelt ten-cent coins. It is considered most rare as the mintage figure was low. Out of all the “No-S” Roosevelt Dimes in the proof condition, it is rare and is worth up to $50,000.

What is the rarest dime in the world? ›

1803 MS 64 Draped bust dime

In 1803, the Philadelphia came with a mintage of 33,040 dimes, but only rare pieces survive in such a high grade 200 years after minting. This finest known 1803 Draped bust dime won the auction record in 2008 after one collector bought it for an astonishing $322,000.

What is the most prestigious department store? ›

Saks Fifth Avenue is one of the most renowned luxury department stores in the world. The flagship store is located in New York City. It carries a wide selection of high-end designer clothing and accessories for men, women, and children, as well as home decor items, designer jewelry, and beauty products.

What did Best Buy used to be called? ›

The company wasn't always called Best Buy—from 1966 to 1983 the company was called Sound of Music.

What stores have been around the longest? ›

10 Oldest U.S. Retailers
  • Bloomingdales – 1861. ...
  • Saks Fifth Avenue – 1867. ...
  • Von Maur – 1872. ...
  • Barnes & Noble – 1873. ...
  • Sears – 1886. ...
  • Haverty Furniture – 1885. Haverty's, a retail furniture company, was founded by James Joseph Haverty and his brother Michael in 1885 in Atlanta.
Aug 29, 2011

What's the oldest company in America? ›

The Shirley Plantation is the oldest company in America. It began operating almost 400 years ago, in 1638. The Shirley Plantation is the oldest family-owned business in the United States and the oldest active plantation in Virginia.

What is the richest store in the world? ›

Top 50 Global Retailers 2023
RankingRetailerInternational revenues (billions)
1Walmart$101.20
2Amazon.com$120.10
3Schwarz Group$108.70
4Aldi$97.90
46 more rows

What was the first retail store in the world? ›

The earliest known permanent retail centers, the forum, were created in ancient Rome. Similar shopping centers are thought to have been created in China, but this information has been lost.

What is the oldest grocery store in the world? ›

Then, on September 11, 1916, in Memphis, he opened the first supermarket in the world, Piggly Wiggly. In his new supermarket, the customer no longer had to give a list to a clerk but would pick their own items.

What is the world's largest Dept store? ›

World's Largest Store: Macy's Herald Square

"Macy's, established in 1858, is the Great American Department Store—an iconic retailing brand over 740 stores operating coast-to-coast and online," the official website says.

What happened to the Bon Marche? ›

In 1929, The Bon Marché was acquired by Hahn Department Stores, itself folded into Allied Stores a few years later.

Was there ever a store called Best? ›

Best Products Company, Inc., or simply Best, was a chain of American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis in 1957 and formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Is Bon Marche still in business? ›

All stores currently remain open while the future of the company is assessed. The retailer was latterly owned by Edinburgh Woollen Mill boss Philip Day's investment vehicle Spectre Holdings, after Day succeeded in building up an 82% stake in the business in mid-2019.

What was the first big box store? ›

"Discount store," "megastore," and "superstore" are sometimes used in addition to the industry term "general merchandise retailer." The category began in 1962, when Walmart, Kmart, Meijer, Target (the discount brand of Dayton department store), and Woolco (the discount brand of the Woolworth department store) all ...

What is the oldest food brand that still exists? ›

In fact, some food and drink brands in your supermarket have been around since Colonial times.
...
America's oldest food and drink companies
  1. Baker's Chocolate, 1764. (Kraft Foods) ...
  2. Laird & Company, 1780. (Laird & Company) ...
  3. King Arthur Flour, 1790. ...
  4. Jim Beam, 1795. ...
  5. Tabasco, 1868.
Mar 20, 2018

What is America's oldest grocery store? ›

Doud's Market is the number one specialty food market in Mackinac Island, Michigan, and it also holds the title of the oldest grocery store in America. This 130-year-old food market has 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor, and one reviewer raves, "Doud's has been a staple on Mackinac Island for decades and is well-stocked."

What is the oldest family owned grocery store in America? ›

DID YOU KNOW that Doud's Market on Mackinac Island is the oldest family-owned grocery store in America? James Doud, son of an Irish immigrant, opened Doud's Mercantile in 1884 in a location at the head of the Arnold Line Dock.

What is the most high end department store in the world? ›

Harrods. The World's Leading Luxury Department Store.

What is the most popular store in the world? ›

Leading retailers worldwide in 2021, by retail revenue (in billion U.S. dollars)
Company (Country of origin)Retail revenue in billion U.S. dollars
Walmart Inc (United States)572.75
Amazon.com, Inc. (United States)239.15
Costco Wholesale Corporation (United States)195.93
Schwarz Group (Germany)153.75
9 more rows
Mar 22, 2023

What is the richest retail store? ›

The biggest retail company, with TTM revenue of $600.1 billion, is Walmart.

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