To enter the Chapellerie Brun, located on Place du Grand-Marché, in the heart of Old Tours since 1902, is to plunge into a timeless parenthesis. The scent of essential oils delicately mixes with the smell of old woodwork. Founded in 1878 by Constant Brun, the hat shop remained in the hands of the family before Julie Chevallier took it over in 1998.
Originally from Tours, this trained milliner was not predestined for a career in hat making. She sometimes made hats for her friends, but did not consider making it a career. Everything changes during a Christophe Dechavanne show, Hello it's us. In front of her screen, she watches a demonstration by Josette Desnus, a famous milliner: “She made a hat live, on the head of columnist Sophie Favier. There, I fell in love”she says.
A determined teenager, she goes to Paris to meet Josette Desnus, in her boutique Head to Headlocated on boulevard Saint-Honoré. She then embarked on an apprenticeship and obtained a CAP in fashion and millinery.
She created and sold hats for eight years before the desire to start a business piqued. “I wanted to resume Head to head, but this could not be done. So I decided to come back to Tours. » She carried out a market study and on the advice of her father, a faithful advisor, she visited Jean-Luc Brun, son of the founder. And happy combination of circumstances, while she seeks to settle down, he wishes to sell. In 1998, she took over the millinery business. “Between the hats and caps, I brought my milliner’s touch to the store”she remembers.
If initially the clientele was rather elderly, in the 2000s, the hat experienced a resurgence in popularity. And to meet an ever-increasing and diverse customer base, scarves, socks, jewelry, belts, etc. Now complete the stalls and represent 20% of turnover.
For ten years, Julie Chevallier has been supported full-time by Sandrine. “I work all the time, but it doesn’t weigh on me. I am still so passionateshe confides. When I sell a hat, I know what I'm talking about. Advice and expertise are my added value. »
Chapellerie Brun, place du Grand-Marché, 37000 Tours. Tel: 02.47.38.69.26. chapelerie-brun.com
Manager: Julie Chevalier, manager
Workforce: one employee
Turnover: €325,000 (July 2023)
