Gibert Joseph
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (bookstores and music shops) |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Founder | Joseph Gilbert |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
Area served | Paris and other French cities |
| Products | Books, music media, videos, stationery, toys |
Gibert Joseph represents a French retail chain specializing in bookstores and music shops, with numerous outlets situated along Paris's Boulevard Saint-Michel. Its principal establishment, encompassing six levels, was recognized in 2016 as the largest bookstore within Paris.
Origins
The business was established by Joseph Gilbert, initially a classical literature instructor in Saint-Étienne who moved to Paris in 1886. The enterprise began by vending books from four bouquiniste stalls located opposite Notre Dame Cathedral along the Seine. In 1888, Gilbert inaugurated his first bookstore at 23 Boulevard Saint-Michel in the Latin Quarter of Paris. This shop primarily dealt in used school textbooks, capitalizing on the 1882 legislation introduced by Prime Minister Jules Ferry that mandated free and compulsory primary education throughout France. Upon Gilbert’s passing in 1915, his two sons assumed control of the operation.
Division (1929–2017)
In 1929, the Gibert siblings divided their enterprise. Joseph Gibert, the elder son, launched Gibert Joseph at 30 boulevard Saint-Michel, while Régis retained the original establishment under the name Gibert Jeune on Quai Saint-Michel.
Gibert Joseph experienced substantial growth, expanding to occupy six floors along with additional locations on boulevard Saint-Michel, drawing a large student clientele from the nearby Sorbonne University. The chain also extended its presence outside Paris by opening stores in cities such as Lyon, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne, Clermont-Ferrand, Poitiers, Dijon, Toulouse, Montpellier, Marseille, and other districts beyond the Latin Quarter.
Conversely, Gibert Jeune concentrated mainly on Parisian locations, relocating in 1934 to 15 boulevard St Denis and acquiring premises at 5 place Saint-Michel in 1971.
Starting in the 1950s, both companies broadened their product range beyond books to include records, music media, videos, stationery items, toys, and similar goods. They each launched online sales platforms in 2002 to facilitate e-commerce.
In 1986, a Gibert Jeune store suffered severe damage due to an explosion associated with the CSPPA group, causing injuries.
Reunification (2017)
In April 2017, Gibert Joseph commenced negotiations to acquire the financially struggling Gibert Jeune. The Paris Commercial Court authorized this acquisition on 17 May 2017, effectively reuniting the two businesses after an 88-year separation. Bruno Gibert assured that no employee layoffs or store closures would occur following the merger. Nevertheless, the CGT union criticized the negotiation process for its opacity and voiced apprehensions regarding possible social consequences.
By November 2017, France’s competition authority granted approval for the merger between Gibert Joseph and Gibert Jeune.
Effects of the 2020 health crisis
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, multiple Gibert Joseph outlets across French provinces ceased operations. In Paris, the Gibert Jeune bookstore located at 5 place Saint-Michel was sold by the Jeune family; a job protection scheme was introduced on 4 December 2020. The historic venue at 27 quai Saint-Michel was preserved through intervention from Paris City Hall, which purchased the property. Additionally, the company’s esoteric bookstore opposite Notre-Dame de Paris was also safeguarded.
Le Prix des libraires Gibert Joseph
Beginning in 2014, Gibert Joseph has established a yearly literary award known as Le Prix des libraires Gibert Joseph. The first recipient of this prize was Gauz for his book Debout-Payé.