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soft toys and toilet paper, in the window, traders proclaim their desire to reopen

To show their desire to resume their activity, traders are creating a buzz in Dijon. Restaurant owners are installing “dijon’ours”, virtual consumers, in their windows. A nail shop manager suggests handing out toilet paper to become essential.

The “dijon’ours” sit down to eat

The initiative was launched by a Parisian bookseller in the Gobelins district at the end of 2018. Giant teddy bears have been installed on the terraces, or on the balconies, to make passers-by smile. They made their return during the first confinement, present at the windows during the applause of encouragement to the nursing staff.

From now on, they are used as virtual clients. « They show that the restaurants are still there, that they are waiting »Explains Catherine Bouillé, from the hotel house in Dijon, who launched the “dijon’ours” operation. Its store selling kitchen equipment to professionals and individuals located rue de Cracovie is a collateral victim of the health crisis. ” We can open, as wholesalers, but we only have community restaurant chefs as customers, in addition at the moment the school canteens are closed. ».

Bears Emma and William have coffee!

At Owl coffee, rue de la Chouette, one of the first establishments to have played along, the bears Emma and William are alone at the table! The idea is that they will remain present at the reopening, in the places which will have to remain free to respect the barrier gestures.

For Jean-Baptiste Le Gouge, manager of this “coffee room” opened in February 2020, the situation remains complicated, despite the aid. On closing days, he goes to Paris to roast and choose new suppliers. At the end of the week, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, it offers take-out. At the moment, products from Kenya or Peru, but it changes every month. ” Customers don’t just come for a cup of coffee to drink right away. They buy packages for their homes. Confined, teleworking, they consume more and want good. Some people no longer use their pod machines because they don’t know what’s inside “. In project, the purchase of a roaster, if the financing is accepted.

Other establishments are starting to welcome teddy bears: the Maison des Caryatides, the Café Gourmand, the Central, the Menuiserie …



Before being “at the end of the roll”

The manager of the’onglerie « Coffee Nails »Chose to fill your window with toilet paper the day after Emmanuel Macron’s last speech, with this question: would we be essential if we offered one of these rolls to every customer ? « I receive a lot of support from my clients who appreciate this humor in these difficult times»Confides Laure Rougeux. Her shop, where she also sells accessories and clothes, catches the eye of the curious, in rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, which has many closed shops.


Window messages

Messages of support flourish on the facade of the “le Mably” bar. We can read ” We miss you », « these half-measures are useless, we open everything, or we close everything “, or “ framed in bars and restaurants, outdoors on the terrace, or crammed into apartments, welcome to absurdity »


Rare stores open

Illustration of this “absurdity” or in any case of the difficulty in navigating it, the situation of this children’s clothing store, rue du Bourg, which announces that it is open ” only for babies 0-24 months ». In this case you can ring to enter. For articles intended for 2-11 year olds, it is necessary to book on the internet in “click and collect” formula.


Conversely, this manager of the “Carré Blanc” household linen boutique in Place Grangier is waiting for the few customers. ” Our classification in specialized stores allows us to open »Explains Christel Darbot. ” In November, we worked well before the holidays, but there people are not in good spirits “. Another difficulty, there is little stock, the manufacture of its brand products is slowing down, due to a lack of raw material supply in the factories.


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