Adverts of discounted prices in Angers down town stores may hide troubles and concerns for the future

Angers stores owners recently claimed that the economic conditions for running their business were deteriorating. A walk throughout down town streets may confirm their worries. In the main arteries of the city, some frontsides are covered by panels "for sale", "for rent" or "discounted prices before closure". If that would not be strange at the end of a commercial season (i.e. summer), the trend at least may raise questions from pedestrians. Lenepveu, Saint-Aubin, Röe, des Lices streets are among the Angers commercial ways affected by the disappearance of stores.

It seems that women clothes stores are the most hit by unfavorable conditions. Behind large adverts of clearance, female customers take benefit of items at discounted prices. These stores were designed for medium income customers who have decreased in most of French towns like Angers. The most intriguing in that situation is the privilegied locations of some of these shops without taker. At the corner of the Prefecture mall and des Lices street, a prime location is waiting for months (perhaps more than months) a new occupant. Some others, free for a long time, are now in works. 

It would not be impossible that Atoll, the "eco-commercial park" opened in April at West of Angers may explain some of the difficulties experimented in down town. Its owner, the Phalsbourg company, recently said that 3 millions visitors came since the opening. That number would be well above the forecasts but (curiously) the promotor has no figures about the global turnover. Some of the locations are still available and, as it was feared by Angers retail stores owners, the Phalsbourg company is now looking for a food superstore and a culture products brand. That are not news which will make the Angers down town retailers more comfortable.