Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


In France and in Africa, Shoppers Mourn Loss of Iconic Paris Store

Lisa Bryant

   PARIS - For decades, the discount French department store chain Tati
   was a go-to place for shoppers hunting for bargains and simply the
   experience. Now, the last Tati store will close by year's end -- its
   flagship shop that has left an indelible stamp on the multiethnic Paris
   neighborhood where it sits.

   It's hard to miss Tati. The faded Haussmanian building with its
   blue-and-pink checkered sign soars above the Barbès-Rochechouart metro
   station. Straddling one corner of a bustling intersection, the
   department store is a gateway of sorts to Paris' Goutte d'Or
   neighborhood, home to a large African immigrant community.

   For locals like Senegalese-born Emerson Korea, Tati is simply the
   neighborhood store.

.