Monument to Aristide Boucicaut outside his home in his home town of Bellême, France (litho)

Aristide Boucicaut (1810-77) French entrepreneur and founder of the Bon Marché Department Stores in Paris; after 1852, he and later with his wife, Marguerite (1826-87), revolutionised shopping and retailing in France; they developed the first department store ('Grand Magasin') in Paris, by 1877 the largest in the world; the Boucicauts were responsible for introducing the concept of shopping as an enjoyable experience with glamorous interiors; innovations included free entry with no obligation to buy, fixed prices, home delivery, large choice of goods, guarantees allowing exchanges or returns, catalogues , mail order and advertising; they were also responsible for the introduction of concepts of care for employees, including pensions and employee shares in the business; the development of department stores was a major force in democratising consumption and making society more egalitarian by giving women the freedom and ability to shop on their own;