Meet Camille from Comptoir Montalbert, a passionate shop owner
A delicatessen in the heart of the mountains
Camille, the owner, has an atypical background and did not take any specific training to do what she does today. Nevertheless, she and her husband had the crazy idea of opening a restaurant in a ski resort almost ten years ago. After eight years in business, they needed to take a break and refocus on their family life. Running a restaurant requires a lot of investment, and they were finding it difficult to recruit staff. So they decided to put their restaurant up for sale.
However, their entrepreneurial spirit hasn't disappeared. They seized a new opportunity by acquiring premises in another ski resort, ideally located. This time, they opened a delicatessen, Comptoir Montalbert, in Aime la Plagne, in the centre of the resort, in December 2022. They aimed to reconcile their family life and work with more flexible opening hours. The shop offers a wide selection of local products, including cheeses, charcuterie, wines and much more.
When they set up their new business, they encountered several difficulties. Banking and administrative procedures were time-consuming, making it difficult to meet deadlines. What's more, they had to carry out major work on the two premises in a very short space of time. This was the most stressful part, as they had a fixed opening date to meet, the opening of the ski resorts. But that didn't stop them from going ahead with their project and starting on time.
The steps involved in fitting out Comptoir Montalbert
Camille and her husband gave careful thought to the layout of their shop. With 80 m² available, they created different zones to optimise the customer experience. They chose not to call in a professional for financial reasons. So the couple turned to the floor plans of their premises to imagine their layout... One part of the space is dedicated to the bar/tea room, where customers can relax and enjoy hot drinks. The other half is reserved for the delicatessen, with a particular focus on fresh produce such as cheeses and charcuterie, as well as a wide selection of wines, spirits and beers. They opted for furniture that combined elegance and convenience to showcase their offerings and provide a pleasant experience for their customers.
The retailer had specific criteria for the furniture in her store. She wanted a design that would accentuate her products and attract customers. It was also important for her to buy strong furniture to support the weight of her products. Solid wood was the obvious choice. Among the essential elements, the reception counter played a central role in the layout, providing both an elegant touch and optimal functionality. Despite the uncertainty about the composition of its offer, it bought its shopfitting furniture according to its two main criteria: aesthetics and functionality. TRADIS professional furniture met her needs. Solid wood was chosen to create a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Finally, she opted for a piece of counter furniture in distressed wood and loved the resulting colour.
Furnishings and services designed for professionals
As explained above, the most important criteria for the owner of Comptoir Montalbert were above all aesthetics. For her, the furnishings needed to be in harmony with the decor of her premises, in particular the professional counter. Since her offer is based on local products carefully selected from her suppliers, it was obvious for her to choose quality furniture. The second criterion was the functionality of the professional furniture so that it was best suited to the uses of her trade: the possibility of segmenting the offer by rack, displaying the bottles vertically, having a restocking area, shelves high enough to display various grocery products, etc. That's all she found in TRADIS furniture.
What's more, there were other factors behind her choice. Value for money was essential because she wanted quality furniture without exceeding her budget. The speed with which the furniture in stock could be dispatched was also important to her so that she could open the business as soon as possible. The fact that the delivery times were displayed on the product sheets meant that she could organise her orders and receive the furniture according to availability. Thanks to all the information on the site and the item sheets, the owner had all the information she needed to buy her products according to her different needs.
Today, Camille is delighted. The furniture she has chosen meets all her criteria and is in keeping with the shop's image. What's more, the services offered by the brand, such as the delivery of the furniture already assembled, have been much appreciated by Camille. This saved her time and simplified the layout of the store without the hassle of assembling the furniture. She is so satisfied that she has already recommended Tradis to other people looking for quality equipment to suit their needs.
