The state of construction in which the bookstore Le Grain des mots is immersed is striking. two workers clean the shop shaken by water damage caused by bad weather 10 days ago. This water damage destroyed a ceiling and damaged 10,000 books, walls and floors. Three noisy devices, used to suck up the ambient humidity, also work at full speed to try to preserve the other works.
Awaiting expertise
Because the priority is this: save what is still usable. But nothing is easy. “We are forced to wait because we cannot handle the books awaiting insurance appraisals“Impatient Romain Demante, one of the two co-managers of Grain des mots who was forced to close his bookstore. It is only after the results of these expertises that he will be able to save what can l ‘be. “We will try to squeeze the books, put them under weight and keep them in a dry place.“
It won’t end like this
But time is running out for Romain Demante. “We are already missing the literary season which is one of the highlights of the year with Christmas” he laments. “If we can’t reopen within three months, we’ll have to put the key under the door“. But out of the question to imagine this eventuality for this co-manager who took over the brand, created by his mother in 2003, a little over two years ago. “it won’t stop like that, at least not because of water damage!“
A momentum of solidarity has been created
The only positive note is the momentum of solidarity that has been created around the Grain des mots. “Many people offered to help. Fellow booksellers, individuals who wanted to come and clean up, traders ready to make their storage reserves available” smiles Romain Demante. Who, for the moment, can’t do anything but wait.