IADS Exclusive - Nouvelles Galeries in Annecy: a case for tier-II cities department stores

Even though the department store changed its name to Galeries Lafayette more than 30 years ago, Annecy’s1 residents kept on calling it Nouvelles Galeries. This is why Citynove (Galeries Lafayette Group’s real estate arm)2 revived the old name to develop a shopping centre around the existing department store. But its drive-to-store strategy is fully anchored in today’s retail: Citynove’s president, Eric Costa, described it as a pilot project for the group. The goal is to adapt the department store format to the local market's realities, client expectations, and competition to create an optimal environment for the stores to evolve. This approach reflects the group's strategy of owning most of its stores, allowing for easier transformation and adaptation. Considered by Galeries Lafayette as an illustration of what tomorrow’s department store could look like, the whole project aims at becoming a hybrid place where people come to shop and live. Officially completed in October 2023, here’s what the place has to offer. 

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