“The facade is part of the neighborhood’s heritage”: the Phénix bakery, a part of the history of La Corniche

Norbert Lubrano et une partie de son équipe, devant la fameuse façade. Midi Libre – NICOLAS ZARROUK

L’établissement, fondé dans les années 30 par Antoine Lubrano, a été l’un des commerces pionniers du quartier de La Corniche, lors de son transfert en 1952.

"There is a real attachment from residents to our facade. It is a bit part of the history of the neighborhood", recognizes Norbert Lubrano, third generation of bakers at the Corniche. Like the legendary bird from which it takes its name, the Phénix bakery experienced a renaissance in this out-of-the-way area of ​​the city in the early 1950s.

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A "poker move" attempted by his grandfather Antoine after more than twenty years rue Garenne, right in downtown. "It took a huge dose of courage to attempt an adventure in a place where it’s a bit of a desert, in terms of shops. Especially after the war. Today, the question of changing neighborhood no longer arises. We are even investing to anchor ourselves a little further to the Corniche", details Nobert, for thirty years at the head of an institution in front of which the queue of ;the wait is getting longer regularly.

Antoine Lubrano’s bet

"It’s because the bread is good, whispers a regular. But it’s also because here, we happily chat with the regulars! So to pass the time, we contemplate the famous facade." We can see it from afar, the front of Place Edouard Herriot. An earthenware fresco that pays homage to the art of baking and the founders of the "Maison Lubrano".

"It’was the historic storefront on rue Garenne. One day, my father surprised my grandparents by having it reproduced to scale in the new store, in La Corniche. That’s when the two characters (the grandfather, Antoine, and the grandmother, Henriette, Editor’s note) appeared on the facade."

A facade paying homage to the past, but also looking towards the future. The historic Corniche bakery has begun a vast renovation project. It would even appear that one of the visual attractions of Place Herriot is set to expand…hellip;