This famous bakery in Lyon suddenly closes: “It has always been weird”
By Nicholas Zaugra
Published on
In the very dynamic rue du Plâtre, the question is on everyone’s lips: why the “artisanal” bakery Pomponnette suddenly closed its doors several weeks ago in the 1st arrondissement of Lyons ?
The same sign also closed in the town of Saint-Cyr au Mont d’Or, in the west of Lyon, which finds itself without any bakery. Only the bakery in the Croix-Rousse district remains in operation for the moment.
Since last August, the famous comedian Laurent Gerra, originally from the city, is the sole owner of the bakery chain which he bought from his ex-partners Fabien Chalard and Julien Géliot. The RTL star also bought the famous Léon de Lyon restaurant located just opposite the bakery in the 1st arrondissement.
“Temporarily closed”
On the storefront of the bakery, degraded this Thursday after our report (the window was broken), a poster is placed. “Given the extent of the difficulties encountered in taking over the Pomponnette bakeries, we are obliged to temporarily close our local shops”, writes the “new management team”.
“We have thought of everything to open very soon, with a qualitative offer that meets your expectations”, indicates the management without giving a reopening date.
“This bakery has always been weird…”
A tradeswoman located nearby is not asked surprise of the cessation of Pomponnette’s activity. “It was the kind of bakery that opened at 7 a.m. and closed at 2 p.m.,” she says. “It didn’t really feel like she was really walking. With the former manager, yes, but he got everything (…)”.
“This bakery has always been weird,” she explains, hoping for a reopening in better conditions.
“The closing of a bakery in such a street is always bad news, it’s a lack,” says a craftsman. In the same street, restaurants, a clothing store, a butcher, a jewelry store share tourists and regulars. “The business is doing well, but maybe this bakery wasn’t making enough sales,” says another.
“There were problems in the structure”
A former employee of Pomponnette that we were able to meet is not surprised by the closure of the bakery. “There were problems in the structure,” she told Lyon news after leaving the company run by the former partners.
“I was sometimes paid on the 20th of the month, I also attacked in front of the Prud’hommes but the next day, I had my money in my account, around 2,000 euros”, continues this ex-employee who first been a saleswoman then point of sale manager and who wishes to remain anonymous.
Another trader explains that there were often “staff recruitment problems” for a full opening.
The ex-employee who left the group more than a year ago confirms: “Already at that time, we were closing, we were reopening. We cannot make the bread on site, which was made in the large bakery in Saint-Cyr, so when the delivery man did not come by at 9 a.m., we did not open…”, according to her.
Will the Pomponnette bakery on this unmissable street in Lyon reopen? “I hope that something better will happen with Bocuse’s demands”. Jérôme Bocuse has teamed up with Laurent Gerra for the takeover of the restaurants.
Contacted, the Pomponnette bakeries could not be reached.
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