Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The building at 23 avenue de l'Opéra, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, once housed the department store Au Gagne-Petit, founded in 1844 by Bouruet-Aubertot. Originally installed on 22 rue des Moineaux, the store moved in 1878 after the piercing of Avenue de l'Opéra, adopting a luxurious facade decorated with a bas-relief inspired by a painting by David Teniers the Younger, representing a remouleur. This trade, formerly associated with small gains, gave its name to the sign.

The main door keeps this unsigned bas-relief, while a dark green marble plate indicates the date of foundation in Roman numerals: " XXII AOUT / MDCCCLXVII" (22 August 1878). The facades and roofs, protected since 22 March 1983, bear witness to the flourishing 19th century commercial architecture. Today, the building houses a Monoprix, but its historical heritage remains visible.

Ernest Cognacq, the future founder of Galeries Lafayette, began his career as a salesman at the Gagne-Petit before its expansion. The store illustrates the rise of Parisian department stores, symbols of modernity and mass consumption at the end of the 19th century. The protection of its facade underlines its heritage importance in the Haussmann urban landscape.

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