Why it belongs in ORBIS
Florence concept venue in a 1,500 sq m former housewares emporium near San Lorenzo, founded as a kitchenware shop in 1896 and trading as such until around 2005; reopened as a combined restaurant, florist, homeware shop and cocktail bar, using the original store's wooden display cases.
La Menagere began in 1896 as Florence's first housewares shop, trading near the Basilica of San Lorenzo for over a century until around 2005. The site was later revived by a team of young designers and food-industry entrepreneurs as a multi-part concept venue rather than a straightforward reopening of the original shop. Today's La Menagere spans roughly 1,500 square metres across two floors and combines a restaurant serving contemporary takes on regional Italian cooking, a florist, a homeware shop that pays homage to the original business by displaying goods in its antique wooden cabinets, and a cocktail bar; a basement space hosts live music and exhibitions.