À la Belle Jardinière is the name of a chain of clothing stores that developed in France in 1824, when a haberdasher from La Cité, Pierre PARISSOT, established quai aux Fleurs a business of made-up clothes, sold at fixed prices. The invention of the sewing machine by Barthélemy Thimonnier enabled PARISSOT to develop his business considerably. The store is gradually expanding and occupies a large quadrilateral located between rue de la Cité, rue du Haut-Moulin and rue des Marmousets. In 1864, the brand was expropriated from its first store in the City, which was destroyed three years later to build the Hôtel-Dieu. A new store was then built on the Quai de la Mégisserie by the architect Henri Blondel. Partially inaugurated in April 1867, the building was extended in 1878. The store concept offering finished and mass-produced clothing, at a price adapted to the new middle-class clientele, was very successful and the small store in 1824 was at the origin of one of the first franchise chains. The brand brought together 190 points of sale in 1840 and 322 in 1860. La Belle Jardinière ceased its activity in 1972, after Mr. BRICARD, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, sold it to the Willot brothers (Agache-Willot group) who, in this takeover, have the objective of real estate capital gain.