Paris' oldest bakery closes

[Jenise]

Sad news from eater.com:

The oldest bakery in Paris, Au Richelieu Boulangerie, is closing after 202 years making bread. Baker Claude Esnault has been with the bakery since 1969, but after the owner of the building doubled the rent, he has been forced to shutter. Esnault is concerned about the neighborhood: "The absence of local facilities will make the area dead. It's like in a village when there's no bakery and no school." A new shop will open in the Au Richelieu Boulangerie location, but they will make sweets, not bread."

This is sad, Jenise. Of course I don't know the landlord's story but it is hard to believe that a doubling of the rent is necessary for anything more than the love of money.

This is sad, Jenise. Of course I don't know the landlord's story but it is hard to believe that a doubling of the rent is necessary for anything more than the love of money.

Yes, there is that. And I certainly don't know the landlord's story either. But that neighborhood is not exactly a small quaint village anymore and may not need a local bakery of the same kind anymore. We can't expect things to stay the same forever.

But those are general thoughts. I don't know the particulars of this case.

Better yet, here's a more complete article: http://www.guide2paris.com/news/720/Oldest-Boulangerie-in-Paris-set-to-close

Dang, now where will I go for my Saturday morning donut and cuppa Joe?

I'm always sad when a historic shop (especially a bakery!) closes. But at same time I'm not sure it's fair to expect landlords to charge rents based on what I'd like. So 35K euros annually is basically $3700-3800 a month. According to article this is in the 1st arrondissment, which has got to be some of the most expensive land in Paris (Louvre, Palais Royale, Ritz). Not sure how big the shop is, but that doesn't really sound like gouging to me.

From our company's relocation planning website it looks like an average 1,000 sq. ft. flat in the 1st Arrondissment lists for about $1.8 million. It also sounds like renting a flat in that area is virtually impossible - "Rentals in the area are seldom made available to expatriates and are normally priced at a substantial premium to the market." It seems that the bakery was getting quite a bargain on their lease.

[Jenise]

I'm always sad when a historic shop (especially a bakery!) closes. But at same time I'm not sure it's fair to expect landlords to charge rents based on what I'd like.

Or operate a charity with rents well below market. Always sad to see an institution go away, though.