The Bees visited Les Lucioles, a restaurant committed to an eco-responsible approach.
It has been a long time since I last visited Vienne, which is only twenty short minutes by car from my home and is well worth the trip, even if it is more modest in size than its Austrian namesake. It is a pleasure to stroll through Vienne's historic centre: the archaeological garden of Cybèle, the ancient theatre, the Pipet belvedere, and of course the Roman temple of Augustus and Livia. That is where I am heading — to the Librairie Lucioles bookshop, a client whom the Bees team take great pleasure in supporting on a daily basis. I have an appointment with Alain Bélier, one of the co-managers of the bookshop.
He tells me the story and how the bookshop works. It was founded in 1976 by Michel Bazin and has undergone numerous moves and expansions, growing from 30 to 250 m². Following Mr Bazin's retirement, Alain Bélier and Renaud Junillon took over the business in 2011 and have continued this wonderful story ever since.
The bookshop in numbers: Lucioles sells approximately 250,000 books per year, holds a stock of 35,000 titles, receives 1 to 4 pallets of deliveries per day, and organises 200 events per year (author meet-and-greets, signings, panel discussions, and more)! It is one of the largest independent bookshops in Rhône-Alpes and a major player in the Vienne metropolitan area and its surroundings. While its core activity remains in-store sales, it has expanded its reach to local authorities: over 80 media libraries and school groups.
The bookshop also takes part in external events (Quai du Polar in Lyon, Fête du livre in Bron, Festival America in Vincennes, and more). Lastly, the bookshop participates in the Festival Vendanges Graphiques in Condrieu, themed around comics and wine, of which Fifty Bees has been a financial partner since its inception. But come to think of it…
Why buy a book at a bookshop rather than online or at a supermarket? An important law, not widely known yet very much part of our daily lives, is the fixed book price law (Law No. 81-766 of 10 August 1981 on book pricing, known as the Loi Lang, after Jack Lang, then Minister of Culture). It is the publisher who sets the price. Retailers cannot compete on price.
A book will therefore not be more expensive at a bookshop than online or at a supermarket… Alain Bélier tells me why he took over the bookshop. "When I was an engineer, I was a voracious reader, but nobody could advise me. There were shops that stocked books but could not guide me in choosing what to read.
One day, I asked: 'I have read such and such — what would you suggest?' And I was told: 'Look at the back covers…'. When I arrived in Vienne in 2001, I stumbled upon this bookshop. I asked for a recommendation and they placed a fantastic book in my hands.
I came back a second time — another incredible book. I became a devoted reader, then grew interested in the life of the bookshop. When Mr Bazin wanted to retire, I wished to carry on his work, even though it was daunting to follow such a well-respected bookseller.
We are fortunate to have a fairly large team (10 employees) that allows us to have subject specialists and avid readers who can offer recommendations. That is a real asset as a reader." The literary season: Every year in September, it is not only back to school but also the literary season. The 2020 crop features some 511 novels, and between the new books coming in and the old ones coming off the shelves, choices must be made.
For Alain Bélier, the question does not arise: "We have a dedicated corner for new releases, but we must keep certain books that are listed as essential. Just because a book is five years old does not mean it is outdated or that we should remove it in favour of a more recent book that is not as good." Thanks to its size and support from the CNL (French National Book Centre), Lucioles can afford to keep its backlist titles (in Children's, Fiction, etc.) even though they represent a small share of sales.
These are essentials for any bookshop. "The literary season is an important moment, but we are always torn between supporting publishers with their media campaigns and keeping these backlist titles." And since Covid-19? The conversation shifted to the unprecedented context of the recent lockdown and all the difficulties linked to the drop in consumption of the "book" as an object.
It is a chance to reflect on the place of reading in our lives. "The lockdown confirmed that a book is a wonderful companion in life. When you see people crying out 'Why can we no longer buy our books?', you get the feeling that it is as essential as bread.
And yet no, it is not vital — but one cannot conceive of a life without books, especially in these strange times…" Today, while there are concerns about the bookshop's ancillary activities (external events, meet-and-greets, relationships with media libraries, etc.), the most sensitive issue is the health of the other players in the book supply chain. If the bookshop manages to recover but publishers or distributors do not keep up, it could have a major impact on the "world of books".
Alain Bélier remains positive about the business: "The messages of support we received during lockdown were extraordinary. We even had orders coming through on our mobile phones at midnight. We very much hope to continue with our plan to expand the shop." A wonderful momentum that makes you want to read…
and to pay a visit to Les Lucioles, in Vienne!