The quick closures of the Devred and Jennifer brands, neighbors on rue de Paris, did not go unnoticed a few days before Christmas 2023. That of Burton, at the start of 2024, had further tarnished the image of the heart of city despite the efforts undertaken to revitalize its commercial activity. At the start of the year, these three spacious premises are still vacant, but this is not expected to last.
Although the storefront located at the corner of Rue de Casseneuil and Place Lafayette retains the fittings of the men's ready-to-wear brand, “Sold” signs have appeared. In a few months, a business that not all city centers of this size can be proud to see come, will move there. Established for ten years on rue des Girondins, the independent bookstore Livresse will indeed make itself comfortable there.
Animated in 2024, most often for increases in surface area, the game of moving will therefore continue this year. Currently, the first transfer, from rue Casseneuil, concerns the Charlotte Vintage boutique which will breathe new life into the small premises where activists from the Les Républicains party occasionally met. Rue de Casseneuil, this departure will be compensated by the arrival and upcoming opening of a designer jeweler.
The waltz of the brands
Rue de Paris, project leaders are eyeing the former Devred and the former Maryjane lingerie boutique will house the premises of a personal services company in mid-February. Rue Sainte-Catherine, where vacant premises are becoming rare, a hairdresser is expected not far from the very young Colombus café. On the square of the same name, the La Boucherie café is finalizing its final adjustments before an approaching opening. The artisans of the Brotherhood of Crafts, for their part, emptied their premises. This should also soon be the case for the multi-brand Lu. Lu which is liquidating before final closure. The report will be drawn up at the end of the year.
That of 2024 ends like that of the previous year with 47 openings (commerce, services, etc.) according to figures from the commerce agency. There are 12 closures, two fewer than in 2023. Despite widespread sentiment, the balance of the last two years is therefore largely positive. A new website, www.l3vl.com, will soon make it possible to follow its progress in near real time. The number of vacant storefronts is decreasing.
A website of the future?
Developed by business manager Arnaud Mazard, the website Les Vitrines de Villeneuve et de la Vallée du Lot (www.l3vl.com) offers to find the latest news from local businesses, but above all to create synergies and bridges between economic players in the city center as in other municipalities in the metropolitan area. Recently online, the website is able to offer them, at a very low cost, the development of products to develop their business. Consumers benefit from an intelligent search engine and can even be guided, via their smartphone, to the storefront of the desired business. The latter, too, benefit from increased visibility thanks to a very effective referencing policy.
