Fábricas de Francia () was a Mexican department store founded in 1878 in Guadalajara as a lingerie store by 3 French immigrants. In 1988, the El Puerto de Liverpool group bought the chain. By 2018, there were 41 Fábricas stores across Mexico. In 2018 and 2019, El Puerto de Liverpool phased out the Fábricas de Francia brand and all stores were converted to either the Liverpool or Suburbia brand, except for three that were closed permanently.
History Fábricas de Francia was founded as a lingerie store in Guadalajara in 1878 by Disiderio Bonnafoux, José Chapuy and Léon Fortoul, immigrants from the Ubaye Valley and Barcelonnette in southeastern France. The original store was at the northeast corner of San Francisco street (today, Avenida Juárez) and Del Carmen (today, Avenida 16 de Septiembre), a mansion () of typical Spanish Colonial architecture. With its growing success, the building was expanded and remodeled in 1898-9 in Parisian style (Second Empire style. It became the largest department store in the city, surpassing Ciudad de México, La Ciudad de París and Nuevo Mundo.
The Parisian style in architecture was less appreciated by 1948, and the once-impressive palacio was demolished in order to expand Juárez Avenue. The store opened its doors again, now in a modern-style building, which was rebuilt again in the early 1980s after an extensive fire. The façade that existed at the end of 1990 is the same today, though the store is now a branch of Liverpool, as in 2018-9 the owners El Puerto de Liverpool group converted 38 of the 41 Fábricas de Francia stores to either Liverpool or Suburbia formats, and permanently closed three others.
Stores
Table of Fábricas de Francia stores (2018) converted to Liverpool Opened Closed Metro area or city Municipality/ Neighborhood State Mall Currentname(Liverpool) Sq m (2022) Other Name (2016) 1999 Acapulco Gro. Galerías Acapulco Acapulco Galerías 10,852 Fábricas de Francia Acapulco 1986 Aguascalientes Ags. Villasunción Ags. Villasunción 6,094 Fábricas de Francia Aguascalientes 1999 Veracruz Boca del Río Ver. (Soriana-anchored center) Boca del Rio 5,085 Fábricas de Francia Boca del Rio 2000 Chihuahua Chih. Chihuahua Fashion Mall 8,636 Fábricas de Francia Chihuahua 2002 Ciudad Obregón Son. Ciudad Obregón 6,447 Fábricas de Francia Ciudad Obregón 1997 Coatzacoalcos Tab. Coatzacoalcos 7,969 Fábricas de Francia Coatzacoalcos 2017 Comitán Chis. Plaza Las Flores Comitan Comitán ? Fábricas de Francia Comitán 1997 Córdoba Ver. Córdoba Crystal 6,922 Fábricas de Francia Córdoba 2015 Cuautla Mor. Cuautla 5,283 Fábricas de Francia Cuautla 1878/ 1899/ 1951 Guadalajara Jal. Guadalajara Centro 8,275 Fábricas de Francia Gdl. Centro 1999 Guadalajara Jal. Gran Plaza 10,235 Fábricas de Francia Gdl. Gran Plaza 1974 Guadalajara Jal. Plaza Patria 8,641 Fábricas de Francia Gdl. Plaza Patria 1969 2021 Guadalajara Zapopan Jal. Plaza del Sol Plaza del Sol(closed) 8,255 Fábricas de Francia Plaza del Sol 1963 Mazatlán Sin. c/ Juárez y Cenizares Mazatlán Centro ? Fábricas de Francia Mazatlán 2016 Mexico City Tecámac Méx. Tecámac Power Center Tecámac 5,366 Fábricas de Francia Mexico Tecamac 2002 Oaxaca Oax. Oaxaca 10,034 Fábricas de Francia Oaxaca 2017 Oaxaca Oax. Plaza Bella Oaxaca Plaza Bella ? Fábricas de Francia Oaxaca Plaza Bella 1997 Poza Rica Ver. Poza Rica 5,567 Fábricas de Francia Poza Rica 1997 Puebla Pue. Puebla Crystal 6,186 Fábricas de Francia Puebla 2015 Salamanca Gto. Salamanca 5,721 Fábricas de Francia Salamanca 1999 Tapachula Chis. Tapachula 7,496 Fábricas de Francia Tapachula 1961 Tepic Nay. Tepic Centro 7,520 Fábricas de Francia Tepic 1997 Villahermosa Tab. Plaza Crystal Villahermosa Crystal 5,267 Fábricas de Francia Villahermosa 1997 Xalapa Ver. Plaza Américas Xalapa Plaza Américas 6,660 Fábricas de Francia Xalapa Source: Tiendas ("Stores"), Liverpool website and p. 43, 2022 Annual Report
Table of Fábricas de Francia stores (2018) converted to Suburbia Yearopenedas FdF Metropolitan area Municipality or Neighborhood State Mall or address Converted to Area (2016, sqm) 2000 Ciudad Juárez Chih. Rio Grande Mall Suburbia Ciudad Juárez 6,768 2016 Los Mochis Sin. Plaza Sendero Los Mochis Suburbia Los Mochis 8,873 1999 Mazatlán Sin. Gran Plaza Mazatlán Suburbia Mazatlán 2014 Mexico City Tlalnepantla Mexico City Centro Lago De Guadalupe Suburbia Lago de Guadalupe 5,087 2014 Mexico City Iztapalapa Mexico City Plaza Central Suburbia México Plaza Central 4,972 2017 Mexico City Colonia Buenavista Mexico City Forum Buenavista Suburbia México Buenavista 2016 Mexico City Nicolás Romero Méx. Town Center Vista Hermosa Suburbia México Nicolás Romero 4,905 2015 Mexico City Texcoco Méx. Puerta Texcoco Suburbia Texcoco Puerta 4,929 2017 Mexico City Valle de Chalco Méx. Patio Valle de Chalco Suburbia Valle de Chalco 2015 Mexico City Zumpango Méx. Town Center Zumpango Suburbia Zumpango 4,810 2017 Saltillo Coah. Plaza Sendero Sur Suburbia Saltillo Sendero 5,071 2016 Tijuana La Presa Este B.C. Plaza Sendero Suburbia Tijuana 5,017 2017 Tlaxcala Apizaco Tlax. Plaza Apizaco Suburbia Apizaco 6,200 2017 Tonalá Jal. Plaza Lomas Suburbia Tonalá 2016 Tuxtepec Centro Oax. Centro, Juárez 901 Suburbia Tuxtepec 4,726 2016 Uriangato Gto. Galerías Metropolitana Suburbia Uriangato 4,770
Table of Fábricas de Francia stores (2018) permanently closed Yearopenedas FdF Metropolitan area Municipality or Neighborhood State Mall or address Area (2016, sqm) 1999 León (Zona Norte) Gto. La Gran Plaza 10,880 Zona metropolitana del Valle de México Tlalnepantla de BazMex. Lagos de Guadalupe 2015 Zona metropolitana del Valle de México Chimalhuacán Méx. Plaza Chimalhuacán 5,027
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