Agape closes but the party continues on rue du Courreau!

Hervé Thiery a animé cette partie de la rue, douze années de rang.

Hervé Thiery in his almost empty store

Meeting Hervé Thiery is quite a story! A personal story, that of a neighborhood and rue du Courreau. An inveterate optimist who punctuates his conversation with thunderous laughter, the man is inexhaustible about life in the suburbs. He is preparing to close his disposable tableware and table decoration shop located at number 5.

It was his wife who had the idea for the concept more than twelve years ago. "Everyone told him: it wasn't going to work, but it worked straight away!" Hervé, then a business advisor, embarks on an adventure to support his wife. A real community of customers, regulars and, ultimately, friends is then created.

"As we are not traders, we made friends with people. They took photos of their parties and published them on the networks. It gave us publicity!" After having worked hard for the renewal of the artery, the time for retirement has come. And since the announcement of the closure, "it's the same refrain every day: "But why are you leaving, we had such a good time here, that can we do so that you stay ?"".

Nostalgic, Hervé says: "Here, it was like a train station, the whole world was coming home, I had never seen that in my job. An incredible sociological experience, I would have missed a part of my life if I hadn't experienced that!"

And suddenly, like a regret. "Preparing for a party is an important moment. But some people are anxious about this idea, especially for big events. With the pressure from the media and networks, we are obliged to have the ideal meal, the ideal party, the ideal outfit. There are a lot of shows like "An Almost Perfect Dinner" and if they are not up to the task, they think it is a failure, they are afraid of being judged.

The words resonate in the 200m² of the store, almost empty of its last plates and glitter still on sale, sold off.

While waiting for the complicated sale of the premises, a concept store project is planned. Hervé, never tired, is thinking of returning to teaching sociology of work at the University, giving saxophone lessons and continuing his activity as a literary critic for Babelio. "But how old are you, you're going to stop when ?", Sylvie, his wife, repeats to him. The party is clearly not over!

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