Merci, Pioneering Parisian Destination Shop, Opens New Lifestyle Concept
Ten years ago the concept store Merci took Paris by storm with a cool vibe, ever-changing displays, multiple brands, and a restaurant and café. It quickly became a must-visit for anyone interested in fashion, home goods, and everything in between. Paying no attention to what a store should be, the shop has had a food truck in its main entrance, and once, to celebrate linens, stacked up 20 washing machines like a work of art. It continues to serve up the unexpected and, most of all, makes shopping fun. But like everyone else, the people at Merci, under the artistic direction of Daniel Rozensztroch, have been thinking about the ever-changing landscape of retail, and what it will look like in the future. Upping its game, Merci has just opened a new space next door in the form of an apartment, Le Pied-à-Terre, to increase the Merci experience and to bring shoppers into a home environment.
Located in a fairly nondescript courtyard next door to the original Merci location on Boulevard Beaumarchais, up to the third floor and behind the front door, is 1,237 square feet infused with the Merci spirit. Nothing in the apartment, which is in a historic building dating back to 1870, had been altered. This is still the case, as dictates from the creative team were to not touch a thing, and instead, to just clean up the space and keep everything original. Anything broken or absent was not replaced, but restored. Missing floor tiles? Fill those spots with cement. A broken bit of wood flooring? Fill with a mixture containing gold elements using a Japanese technique used for repairing ceramics. In other words, don’t hide the crack—highlight it with gold.
Merci, Pioneering Parisian Destination Shop, Opens New Lifestyle Concept
In addition to reinforcing the beauty of the existing rooms and decorative motifs, all was guided with a contemporary eye and the Merci philosophy for living. Cool comfort pervades, while a mixture of vintage and new flea market finds mingle with pieces of art and contemporary design. The apartment also had little surprises in store for its new occupants: a hidden cabinet in the salon, a secret sliding panel between the kitchen and dining room, and, down a small flight of steps, a little room all on its own.
Pied-à-terre, the French phrase which gives this new Merci annex its name, roughly translates as a small place in a city which serves as your sometime home. Therefore, this place is all set up and ready for a stay. The overall atmosphere of Merci's Le Pied-à-Terre is authentic, surprising, and unique. Everything not nailed down is for sale, so things will be changing. At the moment, the idea is to redo the rooms every three to four weeks. There will also be workshops open to the public, and through Merci's website, everyone is welcome to sign up and book a visit—which will be by appointment only. Indeed, it seems that Merci has once again taken retail to another level.
