In the 7th arrondissement of Paris, at the corner of Rue de Sèvres and Rue du Bac, Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche is regarded as the oldest department store in the world still in operation. Founded in 1852 by Aristide and Marguerite Boucicaut, it pioneered retail methods unheard of at the time: free entry, fixed prices, exchange of goods, home delivery. The current building, erected between 1869 and 1887 by architect Louis-Charles Boileau with engineer Armand Moisant designing the metal structure, combines stone, iron and glass. Bought in 1984 by the LVMH group and renamed Le Bon Marché, it has since focused on luxury retail. It regularly hosts exhibitions and shows, including choreographer Mourad Merzouki's evening performance « Babel ».
