Fighting to Preserve Montpellier’s Cultural Monument: The Future of Sauramps Bookstores

Concern is growing among Sauramps employees about the situation at Ametis. How do you answer them?

They have nothing to worry about. Salaries are paid regularly. The situation is complicated with a decline in turnover given the external circumstances. Whether it’s the Covid, the war in Ukraine or more recently the demonstrations that have taken place in Montpellier. Indeed there is a drop in turnover.

The Hugar group, which is the main shareholder, is in a completely satisfactory financial situation. There is no major concern for Ametis or for the Hugar group.

Sauramps’ 2022 annual report has still not been published. Are you going to incur a loss again?

We will not have profits but we will have a break-even operating result. What we missed last year were orders from communities. These are tenders. But when they don’t help us with school book orders, there is a loss of turnover. You have to find sources of income. In the current situation, it is not easy. We are trying to reform a certain number of things, to modernize the structures to continue the adventure.

The Odysseum store will reopen as planned in 2024?

Yes, it will reopen on the site of Zara which took the place of Sauramps on the former commercial surface.

Many ready-to-wear brands have folded in the center. Are independent bookstores in the same boat?

The independent bookstore is a complicated exercise. When we bought it, in 2017, it was to save a cultural monument in the city of Montpellier. We did not benefit from a very favorable period for this: yellow vests, the Covid, the demonstrations against the pension reform this year. When it’s like that, no one goes into the stores anymore… The period is difficult but everyone has to brace themselves on the problems that arise and try to solve them. It’s my vision.