Martin Girard Designer’s building is for sale. However, the business is far from closing. The owner wishes to relocate to a space better suited to consumption habits and to prepare for his succession.
Martin Girard has been serving his clientele, mainly from Charlevoix, for 37 years. His team created looks for the Belle Plage hotel, the Bâtisseurs residence and the Le Diapason boutique, among others.
Retirement time has not yet come for the interior designer, but he prefers to act to ensure his succession. “My goal is to relocate elsewhere, so that I can work for the girls, and then they can take over,” he explains, pointing to the female designers who form his team.
Market developments had a major impact on the decision to move. ” Everything changed. Online sales have a huge influence. We no longer need such a large surface area today to work,” says the owner.
“With everything we can have in our catalogs, we show on a giant screen, we make our presentations with 3D interiors… we are not obliged to have 12 couches (in store),” says he as an example.
In its building on rue Leclerc, the company currently has two floors and a basement totaling 7,500 square feet. A new premises with an area three times smaller would be sufficient. “It will be less expensive for the girls, and they will do the same work, the same presentation,” explains Martin Girard.
He adds that his business will remain “in downtown Baie-Saint-Paul”. If he has any locations in mind, he doesn’t want to divulge anything at this time. And the entrepreneur is not closed to any opportunity, even that of staying. “A company would say: we are going to start a design center again, then we want to keep you, you keep the whole team… we are open to everything,” he finishes.
