“More an old-fashioned business than a factory where you do your shopping”: This is โwhat the Leclerc at the โPhare de l’Europe in Brest will look like
The eagerly anticipated opening date for the new Leclerc store at the Phare deโ l’Europe shopping gallery in Brest remains unconfirmed as โฃof Thursday, November 27, 2025. The โstore is replacing the Casino hypermarket, which closed on September 30, 2024, leaving a void for shoppers in the Europe district and beyond.
Traders within the gallery are looking forward to the arrival ofโ the new “locomotive” store and the end of the ongoing construction. Accordingโ toโ the director, final steps include installing โฃequipment for fresh products, testing systems, integrating data flows, and finalizing lighting. “Basically: as soon as it’s ready, let’s go (the end of the year is promising), but not before,” he explained.
A key feature of the redesign is a focus on natural light,achieved through large โคwindows at the back of the store,intended to create aโฃ sense of openness rather than arriving at a “dead end.” Director รric Jouanโค noted the pleasant view, even spottingโ a rainbow on Wednesday.
The entire 3,000 m2 space formerly โฃoccupied by the hypermarket, along with the 1,300 m2โข of Leclerc Toys and the 350 m2 โคparapharmacy, has been completelyโ renovated with a focus on energy efficiency. Improvementsโ include newโข insulation, LED lighting, and closed cold units. The investment in the project totals betweenโฃ eight and ten million โeuros.
The new store, branded “Les โhalles Phare de l’Europe,” aims to โrecreate the atmosphere of a conventional market. “We are entering the middle of a market,” Jouan stated. The โขlayout features fresh produce, a butcher shop, a fishmonger, a pastry shop, a โbakery, โand a sushi stand, allโฃ designed to create a “warm spirit” with extensive use ofโข wood. “It’s โnot a factory whereโ you do your shoppingโ by going from one department to another. โMore of โan old-fashioned business.” Bread will be baked on-site, with an additional baker added toโค the team. Five butchers have โalso been hired, joining an existing manager, and a new team of sixโค will staff the fishmonger.
Of the 140 employees, half previously worked at the Casino. For theโฃ remaining positions, the selection process prioritized candidates’ enthusiasm for the project over prior experience in mass distribution. โฃSome applicants were drawn to the location’s accessibility via โthe tram system.
The store’s layout places food departments in one direction and โnon-food โขitemsโ perpendicularly, designed to maximize the impact of the large windows and naturalโ light.
