After 74 years, since 1935, as the oldest retail tenant in Rockefeller Center their lease ended on September 30, 2009. Prior to their closing I was able to shoot some of their amazing windows and thought I would share with you. Here is a piece from NY Magazine on the shop:
The Librairie de France, the bookstore and New York institution that has operated for 74 years from a storefront in Rockefeller Center, will close at the end of the month, its owner, Emanuel Molho, said Wednesday. Mr. Molho, 73, whose father, Isaac, founded the store in 1928 and moved it to its current location in 1935, said that his lease is set to expire on Sept. 30, and that his rent on the space had become too expensive. “There’s not a chance we can stay here,” Mr. Molho said in a telephone interview. “Even at the current rent, it’s a struggle. Everything that comes here, all the income we get goes to pay the rent here.”
The store, which specializes in French books, also had a publishing arm that during World War II printed the works of writers including Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (“The Little Prince”) who had emigrated from Vichy France.
The windows were filled with such vintage french items
They still have world-wide Mail Order Services to schools, bookstores, libraries, institutions and the general public will continue as usual. It was the only bookstore of it's kind in the United States.
The website is http://www.frencheuropean.com/
No comments
Post a Comment