Toulouse. Crowds, connections: what do neighbors say about Primark, which has been open for three years?
Through Quentin Marais
Published on
Wednesday, October 17, 2018. Several thousand Toulouse residents gathered in rue Rémusat. The sign Primark leaves his luggage in the Pink City, and its opening arouses a immense craze. On the occasion of the third anniversary, neighboring traders identified their views on these 36 months collaboration.
A clear observation: there are more people
Located in the same street as the Primark store or on the opposite axis, rue d’Alsace-Lorraine, they took the floor. Unanimously, they dress the same observation since the arrival of Primark: there are more people in the street!
“When there was no Primark, this side of the street was empty“, Concedes Valéria, saleswoman in the Stade Toulousain store. Opposite, Laëtitia, patroness of Miss Liora, makes the same analysis. “Before, we had a lot less traffic. Now, there is animation, it’s nice to see.”
In terms of traffic, we didn’t have much visibility. Many people did not know of this Marionnaud! At this level, we have gained visibility, customers pay more attention to the store.
The Marionnaud boutique is located in the same street as Primark, as is the Manufacture pizzeria. Behind the counter, Ashwan remarks ” at 2 to 3 p.m., I still have customers who come to eat. It brings great families ”.
Beneficiary neighbors? Not really
The cooperation with the Irish firm has been launched for 36 months. If the surroundings of the Jeanne d’Arc metro are revitalized, does it benefit traders ? Ashwan sets in motion by denouncing a backlash: “during the day, I have dozens of customers who come to ask me if they can go to the bathroom. But they don’t consume …”
Inside the Stade Toulousain store, Valéria replied with a sentence that her counterparts would repeat on several occasions: ” customer level, that doesn’t change anything. We can not say that we have qualified the arrival of Primark ”.
I thought there was going to be a change, but Primark held more low prices. People pass by, but very little reserved. On the other hand, for the ticket office, there are many more people from the Maghreb, who come for tickets to Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Since the arrival of Primark, there have been more requests for this type of destination.
On the side of Mademoiselle Liora, “it took adapt to Primark’s low prices because I was franchised with much higher prices, ”continues Laëtitia. She mentions the last three difficult years ” because of the yellow vests that hurt us very much. It was a big problem. Primark, in itself… Better Primark than something closed! ”
“We dress a different clientele since many more people pay attention to the store,” says Julie, in Marionnaud. We see this difference with the arrival of Primark ”.
Overall positive links
In three years of existence on Toulouse soil, Primark has therefore brought life to the level of the former Galeries Lafayette. And is good understanding required on the Rémusat and Alsace-Lorraine axes?
“With Primark, we know each other. We know the manager well, he is very nice, greets Valéria. The links are very good, no worries “. “We go to their shop, we do some shopping too”, for her part, Hélène smiles.
On some links with them. We set prices at -10% for people who work in the area, including those from Primark and who regularly come to eat with us.
A few steps from the Boulevard de Strasbourg, Julie has, “from time to time, employees who come to Marionnaud, in particular a person buy us gift cards for employees from Primark. On one found it super nice ”.
The Primark store was originally due to open in 2015 in the Pink City, after purchasing the Haussmannian building in 2013. On several occasions, its opening has been postponed. But the successor of the Au Capitole and Galeries Lafayette stores was finally able to open its four floors in I‘fall 2018.
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