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The legendary Gibert Jeune bookstore is making way for a burger restaurant

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The Editor

©isabellanicolas / instagram

It's official: the former Gibert Jeune bookstore, this temple of second-hand books nestled in Place Saint-Michel for decades, is going to be transformed into a restaurant specializing in burgers. Yes, ground beef will take the place of stacks of Zola and dog-eared philosophy textbooks.

The space, empty since the permanent closure of the store in 2021, has found a new tenant. And let’s just say that the project is not exactly winning everyone over in the area. But honestly, are we really surprised by this?

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Une publication partagée par RossWH (@ross.wh)

 

The End of Great Classics and Low Prices

For the lovers of the Latin Quarter, the broke students, and the longtime regulars by the quays, this news is a bit hard to swallow. Gibert Jeune was more than just a bookstore; it was a ritual. People came here to find a classic piece of literature for a pittance and to sell their law textbooks after finals. Seeing this temple of Parisian culture, which has stood for over a century, give way to yet another street-food chain has some locals grinding their teeth, as they treasure the historical soul of the area. There is a legitimate nostalgia, given how this place alone embodied the intellectual vibrancy of Paris.

d'autres fois.

 

A Breath of Fresh Air at Place Saint-Michel

But let’s be a bit pragmatic: seeing this huge spot left abandoned, gathering dust for nearly a decade, absolutely broke my heart even more. The arrival of Manhattn's Burgers promises to bring a true breath of fresh air and a welcome renewal at Place Saint-Michel, which sometimes feels a bit stuck in its past. With its gourmet burgers, iconic Belgian fries, and a raw aesthetic inspired by the Big Apple, this spot is all set to wake up the neighborhood.

This isn’t the first time a cultural institution is making way for food. Paris is changing, habits are changing, and the burger, once looked down upon by French gastronomy purists, has firmly established itself as a standalone dish. If the new owner lives up to the symbol, this place could even become a new go-to spot.

This revival also brings the promise of a vibrant space, capable of attracting once more a young, trendy, and local crowd that had slightly deserted the area in favor of Le Marais or Pigalle. We may no longer read poetry on the sidewalk, but people will come here to find comfort after a long day. Now, we just need to see if the purists from the Left Bank will warm up to the sauce!


We'll let you digest the info, and it looks like it'll be easier to digest than a Proust.