PalenQ

This Paris department store claims to be the oldest such emporium in Europe. What is it?

???

LoriNY1

Bon Marche.....

PalenQ

Oui - quickest winner ever - I just noticed this in today's NYTimes article on Parisian department store windows - said Bon Marche were the first to do it in Paris in the late-1800s - taken after Macy's in New York began the tradition before that.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/wo...lays.html?_r=0

LoriNY1

, and no, i didn't read the article before hand...

Christina

If you are familiar with ZOla, you would know that. Although Wikipedia quibbles with that title a little. Macy's awas founded after Bon Marche, which began in 1838, not that late 1800s.

PalenQ

ira on Dec 23, 14 at 12:11pm
Hey PQ,

Have you seen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tr1QT64Whs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FteqgtLFPck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMmJUhxQ7PY ?

Happy Holidays.

Merci Ira for those videos!

Sojourntraveller

Can't seem much point to a question for which the answer is contentious at best PalenQ. It all depends on who you choose to believe and how you define a 'department store'.

For example, Bon Marche may have started before Bainbridges but the contention is that Bainbridges was the first to start tracking sales figures by 'department' within their store. So which is first? To me, it is the separation of a store into 'departments' that matters, not the year when they started a business.

So, no, Bon Marche was NOT the first department store, Bainbridges was.

hetismij2

Although no longer trading Winkel van Sinkel was founded in Amsterdam in 1821, and opened as a department store in Utrecht in 1834.

IMDonehere

The French department at the Sorbonne is older.

PalenQ

Can't seem much point to a question for which the answer is contentious at best PalenQ. It all depends on who you choose to believe and how you define a 'department store'.>

Note how I phrased the question - 'claims to be' means it is not a slam dunk.

Sojourntraveller

OK, PalenQ, claims to be is fair enough. I also note you did not say they are the oldest or even ask which is the oldest, only what is the name of the store in Paris that 'claims to be.'

So yes, the answer to your question AS ASKED is Bon Marche.

PalenQ

As for the 'claims to be'I got that from the NYTimes article I referenced above - would have never guessed that.