BHV Department Store

I stay in a hotel just acrros (just en face - I%26#39;m practicing my French:) from BHV department store. We were in the same place last year, but didn%26#39;t go in. What type of store is it? Would you compare it to a Macy%26#39;s, Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdales or more upscale? What type of merchandise do they carry?

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It%26#39;s a department store and I would not call it upscale. See for yourself:

http://www.bhv.com/

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Not sure what people define as upscale on this site, but I would definitely compare it to Macy%26#39;s - or maybe even a notch above. I preferred it to Lafayette, at least as far as men%26#39;s wear is concerned, and the separate store for pets was a nice touch also!

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In additionto the classical department store selection (linen, outfit, appliances, whatever), the BHV is still a true %26quot;bazar%26quot; (not in the meaning of %26quot;brothel%26quot;, eh!) : it has a fantastic DIY department.

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Since it was acquired by Galleries Lafayette, BHV has unfortunately taken a big leap into %26quot;upscale%26quot;. A couple of months ago they opened a new Men%26#39;s store in the building behind the main store and they%26#39;re building a store similar to Galeries Lafayette Gourmet a couple of blocks away on rue St-Croix de la Bretonnerie. Even the bricolage in the basement has been renovated with dramatic museum lighting and they tore out the %26quot;Café Brico%26quot; under the stairs. I guess it wasn%26#39;t upscale enough. sigh

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marleybermuda,

This place looks like a cross between an Ikea and Big Lots...it is not some place I would probly go while on holiday. by looking at what they offer you can get the same things here in the states at a much better price due to the conversion rates.

Cheers,

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Magic97, it%26#39;s nothing like IKEA in any way. Here%26#39;s my assessment of BHV:

It%26#39;s 10% Macy%26#39;s, 30% Restoration Hardware (but completely French and obviously without any %26quot;early American%26quot; lean), 20% Home Depot but with the Parisian apartment in mind, 20% a European version of Circuit City, and 20% Williams Sonoma except they have an entire floor dedicated to kitchens, cookware and tableware but in the French context.

FYI, there%26#39;s only one floor dedicated to furniture and it%26#39;s quality stuff. No IKEA junk.

Many generations of Parisians have used BHV to furnish and maintain their apartments. For all practical purposes, it was the only bricolage in Paris till the 1980s. We bought all our major appliances there as well as renovated our apartment (ourselves) from the bricolage at that store.

Not to labor the point but it%26#39;s probably the best place in Paris to witness all the all similarities and differences in European tools, furniture, hardware, cookware, electronics, or almost anything else, all in one building.

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metromole,

sorry I did not mean it to be offensive I was just looking at the online catalog, and it looks like it is a mix of everything for the home not that the quality was that of Ikea, that is just the type of store I relate to it.

I do aplogize that my comment came across wrong.

Cheers,

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No offense taken Magic. You did raise a valid point though. The online presence of BHV doesn%26#39;t really reflect the store or it%26#39;s history very well.

Anyway, it%26#39;s a matter of personal preference. When we travel to new places, we always build in some time to get a snapshot of %26#39;how and why they do things the way they do%26#39; so we seek-out places like BHV because trying to understand the differences are why we travel.

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I always seek out food!! That is my favorite part of traveling, I love to go and try out all the different flavors of the area I am visiting. Thank goodness my eyes are bigger than my stomach:)

Cheers,

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I would compare the basement floor to more like a Sears with seeds,potting soil, outdoor lawn furniture, BBQ, fans, lighting, cupboard hardware, drawer hardware, pet supplies, camping gear etc.

The upper floors are a little similar to a Macy%26#39;s Clothing, hats. purses, perfume, scarfs, etc .

The sewing department is one of my favorites for needlepoint, counted cross stitch, knitting supplies etc. but I noticed last summer that is was very low on items! and the area is very tiny now.

MM do they still have one? or did they remove it?

I like the other three department for needlepoint canvases but they only get them in once a month if at that. ( I do also have names of small stores but they seem to be less $ and more selection at the 4 department stores.