Honden of food, clothing and other decorative objects, this element of the building has not moved since 1930.
In one of the most frequented stores in the capital, a piece of the building, more or less hidden, discreetly offers curious eyes. Under its air of an ordinary supermarket, this place actually houses a precious element, far from the shelves of everyday consumer products.
In the 1920s, Théophile Bader, visionary and founder of the Galeries Lafayette, was closely interested in this prized building, located in the heart of the 8ᵉ arrondissement of Paris. His project? A department store in the style of the temples of American consumption. An ambitious dream which, ultimately, was slowed down by the 1929 crisis. The project aborts, and this prestigious corner of the capital changes hands. It was then the First National City Bank which settles in these places, transforming space into a financial center.
For curious visitors, this memory of another era is only revealed in the basement of Monoprix. Built in 1930 in an Art Deco style, signed by the architect André-Louis Arfvidson, the place hides an imposing index of its bank past. Going down to the basement is penetrating in another time, where a detail (and not the smallest) catches the eye. Indeed, among the shelves, a large armored door challenges the most attentive visitors. Enigmatic, she sits there, protected by a window, recalling the hours of glory of international finance in this former bank.
In the 1990s, when the place was a Virgin Megastore, this massive steel door led in the books of books, a wink for lovers of detective novels and gangster stories. Today, it simply serves as decoration, but its presence is enough to arouse the fascination of those who notice it.
With its armored door, the Monoprix of 52 avenue des Champs-Élysées illustrates the history of the capital well: a place where modern consumption encounters a financial and artistic heritage. So, during your next visit to this Monoprix, do not fail to take a look at the basement.
