It’s not a big box like the others. The Fresh Market shop in Argenteuil (Val-d’Oise) – which locals continue to call Ferme du spahi in memory of its original name – has changed address. Now located on Boulevard du Général-Delambre, this discount supermarket specializing in fruits and vegetables has had a new, much larger building since Thursday, November 13. With a sales area of 7,000 m2 and a car park of 840 spaces, it is the largest Fresh Market brand store with 12 locations in Île-de-France and the Oise.
“It’s a lot of work. It almost makes you want to cry,” confided Bruno Quattrucci, the group’s founder with his brother Claude, at the inauguration with employees and partners, the day before the public opening. He wanted the project to be big, but also neat, as evidenced by the brick-decorated facade and the many ornaments around and inside the shop. Murals are commissioned from artists to beautify commercial spaces and parking lots.
“Our buyers are in Rungis every day”
“It was Bruno’s choice. He wanted to thank the people of Argenteuil. People had supported the Quattrucci family for many years. He wanted to return the favor,” explains Thomas Fisson, architect of Franc architecture, who designed the building.
In nearly 40 years, the Quattrucci family formula has evolved (the Fresh Market brand is currently associated with the Carrefour group, which distributes certain products) but the fundamentals remain the same. “We have good value for money. Our shoppers are in Rungis every day,” emphasizes Laura Quattrucci, head of the Argenteuil store. “We often come to the shop, we are close to consumers. We know their expectations,” added his brother Pascal.
The sense of trading is learned from an early age. The two brothers started working with their parents in the Val-de-Marne market. “It’s true, at the age of 8, we put a grater in the bag,” recalls Laura Quattrucci. It also reminds us of the passing of a broom under a gondola. “It’s true that we did everything,” he admitted.
Inside the supermarket, fruit and vegetable stands are numerous and well stocked. The refrigerator, also full, displayed a large red poster with the words “Surprise Price” in white capital letters. A formula that has made the brand successful since the acquisition of Ferme du Spahi in 1989 – the second shop purchased by the Quattrucci brothers after Villemomble (Seine-Saint-Denis) two years earlier. Namely cheap prices, especially for fresh products with short dates and sold in packages, suitable for large families.
“Reasonable price, attractive”
“I’ve been coming here for 25 years, it’s special,” admits Smaïn, 49. I like it, many of them are halal. I meet people. And sometimes I even come without shopping. » He said that after arriving in France, he began frequenting the shop at the suggestion of the Algerian diaspora. “Yes, it’s not far. There’s an atmosphere, the people are peaceful,” praised another pedestrian. Kamel, from his car asked where the new shop was. “We are used to coming here,” said the Clichy-la-Garenne resident. (Hauts-de-Seine). The price is reasonable, attractive. »
The presence of this new building, on a former vacant Renault site, is good news for the district, also because it participates in the Porte Saint-Germain urban renewal project. “We are working on commercial projects but also urban projects,” underlines Jérémy Chauvidon, architect and associate director of Franc Architectures. In contrast to large supermarkets that mostly develop on the outskirts of cities, this store aims to be integrated into the city.
A future store is planned in Essonne
The nine spaces reserved within the supermarket for shops (pharmacy, cake shop, optician, rotisserie, etc.) all face the sidewalk. He also adjusted. “We almost created a public space,” adds the architect. We have a pedestrian-friendly and bicycle-friendly square. » The footprint of future buses on their own lines is anticipated.
There are also “more than 800 parking spaces but none of them are visible from the street,” explained the architect. That is something rare. Usually we have a large outdoor parking lot. » And Gabriel Franc, director of the Franc architecture group, added: “This is a complex project in which we used as little land as possible. We went back to the essence of the department store.”
For the Quattrucci family, the adventure is far from over. The next Fresh Market store is planned in Grigny (Essonne). Work has started.
