When you ask them the question, the inhabitants of Vernéville are unanimous: the P’tite épicerie is a failure. It will definitely close its doors next January.. It had opened next to the church in December 2021. The shop was then taken over on June 1 by a new manager who wanted to promote a local consumption et respectful of the environment. The locals expected something else. : “I’m not surprised it’s closing. It wasn’t what I was looking for: there should have been emergency products: butter, milk, bread. That’s what would have worked!“, estimates Philippe who lives a few tens of meters from the grocery store but has never entered it. The children of Adelaide, another resident of the village, have not found their happiness either: “at the start, they were quite happy. But it’s not what they expected. They wanted to be able to buy cans of soda or snacks when they came home from school.”
A business that gave a soul to the village
In the streets of the village of 600 inhabitants, it is difficult to find regular customers for the shop. But for many, the closure of the only small business, remains a twinge : “I find that really a shame, it gave a little life to the center“, “even if we didn’t go there, everyone knew the shop and we were talking about it“, “we knew that when we needed something, we could eventually find it there“, testify the inhabitants. But lack of basic necessities and the limited opening hours also repelled customers who preferred to continue shopping at the supermarket.
A situation that the manager, Elodie Merli understands: “I wanted to offer local products, develop bulk and zero waste. Everyone agrees on the principle, but the inhabitants do not adhere because it is more expensive, because they are used to shopping in supermarkets. It will be a long time before everyone changes their way of consuming. She also regrets that the inhabitants have not “played the game” et did not come to support local trade. For the moment, according to the manager, no project to take over the premises is underway. The inhabitants, themselves, hope to see a café or a bakery open. Elodie Merli, for her part, intends to resume her activity as a full-time lawyer.