A major chapter in the city’s cultural history is turning today in the heart of the “Pink City” with the rebirth of an iconic landmark! Indeed, Fnac Toulouse is moving to a new location and opening this Wednesday, October 7, in the former Théâtre des Variétés, which later became a UGCmovie theater ( closed in 2019). Just a stone’s throw from Place Wilson, the new store blends culture, high-tech, entertainment, and heritage in a building that is poised to reclaim its place in the daily lives of Toulouse residents.
The Théâtre des Variétés, a venue steeped in history
Before becoming home to books, vinyl records, and video game consoles, the location has had several incarnations. The first Théâtre des Variétés was built there in 1837 by the Toulouse architect Urbain Vitry. The venue hosted operettas, vaudeville shows, and revues, among other performances, before a fire destroyed the building in 1907.
A few decades later, the site changed course: a new building was constructed in the early 1930s by Robert Armandary, featuring the white Art Deco façade that has become an icon of the neighborhood. The theater then gave way to a movie theater. In 1976, UGC moved into the space and gradually transformed the large auditorium into a multiplex, until the theater closed permanently in 2019. The façade, meanwhile, was designated a Historic Monument in 1974 and today stands as one of the building’s architectural landmarks…
New Fnac Toulouse: A Modern, Light-Filled Space
In terms of current developments, the change is most evident on the store shelves. After more than thirty years in the “Immeuble des Américains,” where Fnac Wilson had been located since 1992, the chain is returning just a few meters from its former location. The new store spans 2,700 m² across three levels.
Among the new features are a Lego section— a first for a downtown Fnac —a Darty corner, a WeFix area dedicated to smartphone and tablet repairs, as well as more spaces where customers can sit down and leisurely browse a book.
Another telling detail: the move required transporting some 75,000 books across the street, along with several thousand CDs.
And since we just published our selection yesterday of the vanished places that Toulouse residents miss the most, we can’t help but give a quick nod to the recent past: the former “Américains” site, which had been home to Fnac for over three decades, was also on that list. Today, the story continues right across the street.
