At 2,500m2 the new Monoprix will be one of the biggest retail spaces in the Luxembourg City centre Romain Gamba

At 2,500m2 the new Monoprix will be one of the biggest retail spaces in the Luxembourg City centre Romain Gamba

The new 2,500m2 shop--formerly occupied by C&A--is the third biggest retail space in the upper city, said associate director Eliran Hagège.

According to Hagège, the brand has always thrived in an urban setting, at busy city arteries or town hall squares. “When we arrived in Luxembourg, we searched for this kind of location. But you don’t always find it. When we were told about the departure of C&A, we didn’t hesitate for a quarter of a second,” the franchise official said.

The company has invested around €9m into its new site, despite a global pandemic. “This type of investment we make for the long haul,” Hagège said.

Once construction on the underground Knuedler car park is complete, the flagship store will install a large outdoor terrace for its food court. This will include brasserie Le Petit Bohème and street food lobster joint Le Homard Bleu.

Their opening has been dampened by lockdown measures but in addition to take out they will start offering home delivery from 18 January for the brasserie and 21 January for Le Homard Bleu.

The department store will create 60 jobs and sell anything from groceries to clothes, toys, entertainment and homeware.

With seven shops in different parts of Luxembourg City, Monoprix banks on the popularity of local commerce despite a series of high street departures, even by big brands such as Zara.

A looming real estate crisis will result in winners and losers, Hagège said. “There is a redistribution of cards between retailers and owners that is becoming important,” he said.

This article was originally published in French on paperjam.lu and has been translated and edited for Delano.