New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-17
Paris Moves Its
Shops Toward
Champs Elysees
Banks Encroach Upon Place
Nendome, Rue de la Paix
and Boulevards, Driving
Lighter Business West

LONDON, June 20 (By Mail THE
appearance of Paris is rapidly chang
ing, according to the special CORE
spondent at Paris of The London Daily
Mail, Never has that mysterious in
fiuence which causes the residential
quarters, the streets renowned for
famous dressmakers and jewellers and
the pleasure resorts of great city to
move steadily westward been more
evident than in Paris to-day.
The great boulevards of the Second
Empire and the Third Republic, which,
with their galaxy of theaters, their
famous restaurants and cafes and the
glittering windows of the jewelers.,
formed the very heart of the willie
Lumiere," are rapidly losing most of
their characte istics.
A dozen years ago it used to be said
that stroller along the boulevards
from the corner of the Rue Drovot,
where stands the Office of the society
newspaper, the Gaulois, to the broad
steps and massive colonnades of the
Madeleine church, would rub shou ders
with all the notable personalities of
Paris. At present the most that could
be said is shat he would probably see
more banks and meet more fnanciers
than anywhere else in the city
For now the boulevards are rapidly
gaining the aspect of Lombard Street,
Threadneedle Street and Old Broad
Street ali run into one.
The process has been going on for
years, but it has never been more ap-
parent than now. The Cafe Anglais
and Durand's went before the war, the
Cafe Richie succumbed during the
fighting and now forms the palatial
Offices OF a French bank. The huge
block of Offices, hotel and theater
in the Rue Edouard VII opening of
the boulevard have just been bought by
another bank, the Societe Gererale.
On week days now there is little
room in the boulevards for that leis-
urely stroll on the sunny side which
used TO be the delight of the French
man after lunch. The pavement is
thronged with hatless clerks rushing
with the picturesque French bank mes
sengers, with their cooked hats, ami
their huge portfolios chained to their
waists. The absence OF a bankers
clearing house, of course, makes the
traffic from bank to bank even create
than in London.
Even the Rue de la Paix and the
beautiful Place Vendome are no longer
immune from the Unsuitable demand Of
the bankers for more commodious
premises English and American banks
are gradually spreading down eithe1
| side of the great street of fashion
steadily driving away the jewelers. ana
dressnakers.
In the Place Vendomc, where before
the war three of the most famou
hotels in Europe used to vie with ont
| another for the custom of kings ant
milhonaires. the banks have secured
1 firm foothold One of the great thre,
! has fallen victim to a tentacle Of tn,
! financial octopus.
The feverish hurry which attend
/ financial transactions does not seem t.
/ form suitable surrounding for tn,
| dainty Parisienne or the smart London
woman looking for new dresses, and 8,
| the great dressmakers are slowly NOV
/ ing westward.
The Champs Elysees, which few
years ago was almost exclusively resi-
Dental, now sees the dawn of grea
shopping age. Jewellers, dressmaker
! and even theaters are setting up SHOP
I in the spacious avenue and the office
! OF motor car dealers are almost in
Vulnerable
What will happen to Paris when tn
| Champs Elysees itself becomes full 0
banks is difficult to imagine. Nobod,
but q vandal could contemplate witt
equanimity commercialized Avenu
y Gnse IL f.>o