It’s like an Eastern European enclave in Tarbes: a new grocery store called “Ararat market” from the name of the mountain that separates Turkey from Armenia, has just opened at 2 rue André Fourcade (formerly tobacco -press Le Papyrus) specializing in products from the eastern part of Europe. Artur (the father) and Spartak (the son) Gevorgyan, originally from Armenia, emigrated to France a dozen years ago. After a first attempt at rue Desaix a little over three years ago, they decided to move to a larger room. “Our customers come from Eastern Europe as well as from the neighborhood. Some customers do not hesitate to come from Lourdes, Bagnères, Lannemezan and even from Bayonne. We want to expand our range of products to also become a neighborhood grocery store” says Spartak who speaks perfect French. Thus, the Gevorgyan family offers some Hallal and French products. Near the cash register, the confectionery department explodes with color. Between Armenian cherry juice, Moldavian jam, Armenian coffee, Russian tea and cereals, Spartak’s mother highlights Armenian blackberry syrup “good for sore throats and also used to accompany fish” . In the fridges, the preparations of cheese for cooking and the traditional (also Armenian) dried beef are mouth-watering, just like vine leaves and Greek products. In the cosmetics department, the hair mask with burdock oil (a Russian product) particularly attracts our attention. Russian vodka or Armenian cognac will soon rub shoulders with non-alcoholic drinks like Georgian lemonades. The grocery store also deposits bread and offers traditional Armenian bread.
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