By Anne-Sophie Hourdeaux
Published on 27 Feb 21 at 20:21
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The jeweller’s Fives Carillon is present in Lille for 70 years. Held by two generations, it will close unfortunately its doors definitely March 31, 2021. Christian and Sylvie Sis have not found a buyer. While waiting for their retirement, they always welcome you with a smile!
It’s always bad news for a neighborhood to lose an independent business, especially when it’s been around for a long time.
Fives Carillon, in the Lille Fives district, was created by the Sis family in 1951. “The store was at 179 rue Pierre Legrand at the time. We were initially specialized in clocks and chimes, the jewelry part came later, ”says Christian Sis.
To the rhythm of a neighborhood
In 1983, he took over the business created by his father with his wife Sylvie. The store moved a few meters to 155 on the same street.
For almost 40 years, the couple lived to the rhythm of the neighborhood. “There was everything in Fives before! You could dress there, find something to nail down, buy your wedding outfit, your christening candies… ”, the Sis couple remembers.
Among the anecdotes, the couple remembers this bracelet to be engraved “I love you forever”, which had to be removed 15 days later.
–A “jewel savings”
Or the way people saved to buy jewelry from their homes. “People gave us money little by little. For example, a certain amount per month. After a few months, we came to choose our jewel with this ‘savings’. There was real confidence! »Sylvie Sis emphasizes.
A customer passing through to have his chime repaired remembers: “I chose the jewel I wanted, it was put aside, and regularly, I came to deposit money, until I reached the sum! “
–Has the health crisis impacted their store? “Closed during confinement, we had a lot of wedding ring purchases between May and July 2020, people had postponed their wedding but wanted to get married. But after the summer, sales of wedding rings and baptism medals have almost stopped… ”remarks Sylvie Sis.
The reasons for the closure
Why is the store closing? Because at the time of retirement, the couple simply did not find a buyer.
The closure of Fives Carillon in Lille-Fives comes in a context where many independent jewelry stores are shutting down. Why ? The fault of the jewelry stores of large surfaces, the Internet too. The times have changed. “Modernism has killed the old …” says Sylvie Sis.
Also, the fact that there is less diversity of shops, with a lot of food, has caused a drop in attendance. Fewer people mean fewer customers.
Owner of the building, the Sis have not yet decided what to do with it, they are thinking of selling but have not yet found a buyer.
–Have your jewelry and clocks repaired
While waiting for the final closure, the store remains open and there is traffic! The jewelry store offers its stock at less than 50%, but in fact, there is still a tenth of everything the store offered. However, you can still find rings and medals, from a few euros to several thousand euros. Watch straps are also still available. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings can be counted on the fingers of the hand.
Many customers still come for one precious thing: repairs. Because the store has an internal workshop. “Today, it’s difficult to find a place to have your jewelry repaired. We do everything from costume jewelry repairs to the most sophisticated. Above all, we have a specialty: chimes and clocks! », Details the manager.
Thus, clocks and chimes of all sizes and eras (until 1850!), Including wooden cuckoo clocks, still arrive in number among the Sis. Because after the closure of Fives Carillon, the owners of this type of object will have a hard time finding another place of repair.
Store at 155 rue Pierre Legrand in Lille-Fives. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Final closure on March 31, 2021. Preferential prices.
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