"It's like Christmas time": How Monaco's shopkeepers are preparing for the start of the Formula 1 Grand Prix

On the streets of Monaco, it's almost the calm before the GP storm. Yet, on the eve of the Monaco Grand Prix (May 22-25), retailers are experiencing pressure buildup as intense as the tire pressure on the starting line. " We prepare more than a year in advance. Pre-orders are placed in May 2024, even before we have the race result. It's important to anticipate," explains Manuela, the manager of the Formula 1 Boutique located on Rue Grimaldi.

To best prepare for this GP period, the secret is stock preparation. " We double our stock of cigarettes and we stock up on large quantities of souvenirs, especially those related to Ferrari, everyone is fighting over them, " explains Mélisante, a saleswoman at Khédive, the bar-tabac on Boulevard Albert- ^Ier . A strategic location at the heart of the Grand Prix also forces the shop to change its habits. " We also plan to stock large quantities of non-alcoholic drinks like water and sodas. We triple our volumes for the occasion ," she adds. While the interior remains unchanged, the shop showcases objects dedicated to Formula 1, particularly Ferrari and Charles Leclerc.

"The Monaco GP is like Christmas for JouéClub"

Stocks are also a key issue for the pub "Le Slammer's", located on rue Suffren-Reymond. " To give you an idea of ​​the crowds during the four days of the Grand Prix, we usually order 10 barrels of beer for four days. For the race, we order 100 ," explains Lisa, the manager. "It's THE event of the year and we see the same customers return to our bar every year. "

While stock anticipation is important, it's also important to attract new potential customers. " It's very important to create an attractive window display to attract spectators ," says Gabrielle, manager of the Optique Grosfillez boutique on rue Princesse Caroline. " The Monaco Grand Prix is ​​like Christmas for JouéClub. We sell a lot of sunglasses during that weekend ."

Reinforcement and excitement

And to keep up with the pace of the festivities, which attract between 200,000 and 300,000 people to the Principality over four days, teams are often reinforced occasionally to accommodate the influx of visitors. " Usually there are three of us in the shop, but we recruit three more for the occasion," explains Manuela. But when that's not possible, better organization is once again key. "My husband and I stay the same. We just ask our parents to look after our three children for the weekend," smiles Gabrielle.

While the amount of work involved in the lead-up is significant, it doesn't dampen the enthusiasm of the retailers. "Personally, I've been looking forward to this event since March. We shouldn't complain about the workload; on the contrary, we're very happy to have the Grand Prix and numerous events throughout the year," says Gabrielle.

The same feeling can be felt at the Formula 1 Boutique, where this unmissable event is generating a lot of excitement. "There's inevitably a slight apprehension, but the atmosphere is immediately very warm. Everyone comes together around a shared passion, and in the end, we come out tired but very happy," admits Manuela.

What about the prices?

This is the question that some spectators must be asking themselves when entering Monaco's shops during the festivities: is there a Grand Prix effect on the customer's bill? " Prices are not increasing but we are going to put in place 'special Grand Prix' menus to reduce the menu and make work easier in the kitchen ," admits a restaurateur present on the circuit.

" Some neighboring shops inflate the price of drinks, in particular. This is not the case for us, out of respect for the spectators and also to encourage them to come back throughout the weekend ," explains Mélisante. "We are sometimes 2 euros cheaper on a simple bottle of water ."

On the eve of the start of the four-day Grand Prix, traders seem ready to face the Formula 1 tidal wave.