It was rather hard but for the good cause

The first contact by telephone, blurred by an electric atmosphere, plant décor: "We dance the waltz on the accordion." The voice sings. A beautiful Midi accent. "In Marseille, just see the good mother and the Emperor House", enthuses Laurence Guez, born Renaux. Understand Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and France including the young woman, 37 years old, the oldest hardware takes the reins since the death of his father, three years ago. "I am coming here after my third, as a salesperson and stevedore." I hated school. I was pushing. "I not at all was speaking, but I loved working," says the Emperor Louis tsalekulye, the founder of the House. Broken household and culinary arts, she confesses not like arts and crafts. "Since the death of my father, I have my interest, but I really drags the paw." It is not very good and as do-it-yourself that makes me live... I hire someone.

The Prévert inventory

A witch broom, a churn butter, a bidet to make-up, a tapette fly, House enamel pot, vegetables for gaucher peeler, a knife of Penguin, a dryer tagliatelle, a devil to chestnut, a mincer hand Peugeot, Vane, a peppermill of metre-high carved out of a single piece of wood... This inventory to the Prévert extends to infinity with some 150,000 objects store and 15 000 references. "Everything is in the mind of everyone because nothing is computerized, except accounting." Objects of the past that one finds in this single institution, but also recent finds as this key to age wine as the energetic Laurence was spotted at the salon Maison & object. A vast universe, hands-on, based on links woven over time. "Among my 100 suppliers, many are old contacts of my ancestors that others did not." This gives me some privileges, such as controlling one piece at a time.

The House was founded in 1827 by Louis Emperor. The taillandier moved Récollettes in this popular neighbourhood of Marseille remained street close to the Canebière. His son Alfred takes the torch before handing it over to Marthe, one of his three daughters, and her husband Paul Renaux. Their son Roger, the father of Laurence, entered the House for 14 years, will become Director in 1970. A father liked despite its hardness and Laurence is the love of work well done. "He gave me a true learning life and work." He wanted to make me a "true bosseur". It was rather hard, but for the good cause. "A penny is a penny, said me." It is not easy to win money. "We must learn to win honestly."

The lovely Brown woman to the sparkling eyes tells champion father of shooting sports - he participated at the Olympic Games - boxing, judo. "It gave me the side hyperdroit, square"through in the nails"." He died at 77 years, always to the task. "It also refers to his mother, a"mother of heart", at the age of 69 happening always much time to the hardware store where she worked forty years.

Until the 1960s, twenty-five employees were employed in the Emperor receiving a thousand clients per day. No competitor, the company expanded to occupy a block with four stores connected by small corridors. The creation of large surfaces has sounded the end of happy days. "My father has just upgraded market as Leroy Merlin or Bricorama. DIY stores" "The fear of disappearing, probably, or perhaps he wanted to get into the great court", commented Laurence Guez. She gave everything in its own juice in 2004: storefronts, business cards, stationery, bags... "By aligning the facades that I've redone on the original model, I have gained customers." Until then, they did not know the different stores. They came in one and emerged through the same door. Now, they are all around. ", welcomed. He spent some 700 per day. "With an average basket at 12 euros, it takes energy to achieve our 12 million francs." This should be about 1.8 million euros!

Hardware now employs 16 employees with several vendors were twenty, even thirty years of home. "There is not more dedicated, more available, more punctual...". Some made me jump on their knees. It works much but one laughs while all in mutual respect. "And to evoke the bottle of rosé open day and other birthday cakes. The young Mistress says be tough with the young, hard-to-hire. "I seek a State of mind, that one forgets his laptop, that it accepts from a brush stroke before leaving." Me, I've been bizutée, I learned the work to the former. Young people do not understand. When I hear talk about attendance bonus, I did not think to there. "It has to recruit a cashier of 60"formidable. "

An invitation to enter

Laurence Guez admits the hardness of the trade. The stores are heated in the winter or air-conditioned in summer. "Work is open." This is an invitation to enter. The Marseillais do not like the closed doors. Here, is not as in a department store. Continue to create the link. Many customers come to hardware since they are boys and the are discovering to their grandchildren. "It refers to the diversity of visitors: men and women, of all ages, all social categories. "It is a true Terminal lobby." What enrichment to contact all these people so different! "Laurence installed chairs in all rays to foster discussion between vendors and customers. "It is essential." People remain an hour and a half, sometimes two hours to see everything, as in a museum. It gives them much attention. But it is on the bearings at the end of the day.

You understand even better on his use of the time. 8 Hours 15 Martin, 8, and Tom, 5 years, are at the school. Lili, 6 months, to the crèche. "Half an hour after I open the hardware and I am involved paperwork before lunch on the go, often only.". I spent my afternoon down with customers. There, I am the eye and the ear... I came home to 19: 45. It is heavy, but I take my Wednesday and Saturday. And I am very helped. "The rhythm accelerates between October and mid-January. Laurence then passes ten hours non-stop at the store, including Saturday. Huntress of trends, it is still time to craft fairs, travel abroad. It has created 5-legged sheep, catalogue of 500 "compelling" of the emperor. While a visitor told him that the hardware was his second home, she decided to put its customers behind the kitchen who, since then, share their recipes on Saturday morning. "It is from here saying we thank you." But what ", is always surprised the young woman after having given to go fishing for happiness all the time.

Taillandier: artisan who made all kinds of tools for carpenters, the Smiths, tillers, as false, axes, MB, sickles. (Littré).