For this trip back in time, you’ll have to go to Noailles, the aptly nicknamed “belly of Marseille”. It was here – at number 4 rue des Récolettes to be precise – that Maison Empereur was established in 1827. Still open nearly 200 years later, Marseille Secrète takes you on a tour of France’s oldest hardware store.
The Emperor, his wife and the Little Prince
If you’re familiar with this address, then you know what an institutionMaison Empereur is for the people of Marseille. But before we can claim the status of “France’s oldest hardware store”, we need to go back to its origins.
Back in 1827, long before it was a hardware store. And long before it was bought by François Empereur, who incidentally gave his name to the store. In 1827, Empereur was still located on the Place de la Bourse. It was not until 1845 that it moved to number 4 rue des Récolettes, where it remained ever since…
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Or rather the Emperor, his son and his great-great-great granddaughter-in-law
François Empereur was a cutler by trade, but it wasn’t until his son Louis took over that the store became a hardware workshop. And like all family stories, this one grew. It was the son of Alfred Empereur’s son-in-law who added the qualifier “armurerie” to what was already a Swiss Army knife shop.
Today, Laurence Renaux-Guez, representative of the 7th generation of the family (and the first woman), runsthe business. And she, too, adds her touch of color, making the Maison Empereur a pretty picture that tells the story of each member of the family who has been responsible for it.
The best jams are made in old jars
Maison Empereur may be France’s oldest hardware store, but it has (absolutely) nothing to envy its younger competitors. In fact, the store, which stretches between Rue des Récolettes and Rue Aubagne, covers over 1000m² and two floors on its own. Imagine what you can find! Hardware, gardening, guns, cutlery, drugstore and much more… With over a thousand items,you’ resure to find what you’re looking for!
Maison Empereur, kings of antiques
Here, modern products stand side by side with antique objects, with no hitch in the passage of time. La Maison Empereur is a timeless parenthesis, yet a nostalgic moment that almost makes us say “it was better before“. Until we come across the latest knick-knack that takes us back to our own time (which we also love). Ultra-trendy decorative objects, panisses molds, antique and unusual wooden objects… there’s something for everyone!
The store is gigantic, and it’s not unusual to spend a lot of time there – attracted by the thousands of nuggets to be found! Luckily for you, Maison Empereur has a small, cocooning café that invites you to take a little break in the middle of your shopping! So if it’s cold outside and you’ve got presents to make, this is the best place to spend an afternoon!
📍4, rue des Récolettes – Marseille 1e