Don't get me wrong. Monsieur Roger, was not really “Mister Roger”. However, this name resonates among the historic traders of downtown Poitiers. In 1933, Jean-Roger Goldenstein opened Optique du Palais, today the second oldest optician still operating in Poitiers.
When it comes to putting up a sign with the name of his shop (today still visible and protected under the Buildings of France), the optician feels the pangs of the times and decides not to use his name Jewish-sounding. Mr. Goldenstein publicly becomes Mr. Roger.
The Goldenstein family never sold the store's walls
Two generations of this family will run the small shop next to the Palais des Ducs. The son, Jean, will take over from Jean-Roger and will keep this independent boutique alive for many decades. He would subsequently have three owners during his lifetime. Including the current one: Xavier Debouy.
Himself the son and grandson of downtown merchants, Xavier Debouy remembers the Goldenstein family very well. “Jean spoke to me about the optics of yesteryear. There were only about twenty frames and the optician was seated at a table in the center. Customers, or rather patients, waited their turn on a chair. Here, we were getting closer to a simple medical appointment. »
A notion very far from the mercantile aspect that the optical market knows today. Xavier Debouy strives to preserve this DNA: “At Optique du Palais, we come to look for a service. Here, the three employees are optometrists. That is to say, we can measure vision and do eye exams. »
A loyal customer base
In more than 90 years of existence, the store has doubled in size but has remained on a family scale. Only three people work there. “We can't be more or else we'd have to push the walls”smiles Xavier Debouy, who is still a tenant, the owner remaining the wife of Jean Goldenstein. “For nothing in the world, they won’t sell the walls of the shop…”
The family aspect of the store is also felt by the customers. “Here, we know all our customersassures the boss. Some don't even live in Poitiers anymore, but they remain loyal to us. » A loyalty similar to that one devotes to the family doctor. A sign that the Optique du Palais still remains a flagship place for eye health in Poitiers.
Optique du Palais: 3, rue Gambetta in Poitiers. Open Tuesday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
