The store with inspired Zola to write “Au Bonheur des Dames”, that’s the heritage of Ultramod, the capital’s oldest haberdashery, now forced to close its doors to the public. In the heart of the 2e arrondissement, the institution present since 1832 has not received a renewal of its lease and will have to close the curtain as of September 15.
Clap de fin for Paris’s oldest haberdashery
Plus ancienne pâtisserie, plus ancien restaurant, plus vieil hôtel: the capital’s most mythical institutions, having stood the test of time, are still there to remind us of the Paris of yesteryear. But today, one of these emblems will be forced to leave the capital, as Ultramod will lose one of its two stores, which face each other on the rue de Choiseul.
In this den of clothing and finery, strongly reminiscent of a museum, you’ll find thousands and thousands of references, from sewing equipment to grand finery and decorative objects. With its old parquet floors, old-fashioned engravings and old-fashioned decor, it’s almost like being in an Ali Baba’s cave from another time.
The only problem is that one of the two stores is leased to the veterans’ pension fund, which needs to undertake major renovation work to bring the building it owns up to standard. As a result, the lease on the haberdasher’s shop has not been renewed, and the town hall has not given the store the go-ahead to say goodbye to its customers as of September 15.
Regular customers will soon have to say goodbye to their neighborhood address. Fortunately, the shop opposite will remain in place.