Elisseeff Emporium

Elisseeff Emporium
Russian: Елисеевский магазин
Shop at the beginning of the 21st century
General information
Type	Shopping mall
Architectural style	Modern architecture
Location	St. Petersburg, Russia
Address	56, Nevsky Prospekt 8, Malaya Sadovaya Street
Coordinates	59°56′03″N 30°20′15″E / 59.93417°N 30.33750°E / 59.93417; 30.33750Coordinates: 59°56′03″N 30°20′15″E / 59.93417°N 30.33750°E / 59.93417; 30.33750
Current tenants	Public limited company "Eliseyev Emporium"
Construction started	1902
Completed	1903
Inaugurated	1903
Client	Saint Petersburg City Administration
Owner	Committee for the Management of City Property of Saint Petersburg City Administration
Landlord	Saint Petersburg City Administration
Technical details
Structural system	Brickwork and Glass
Floor count	5
Design and construction
Architect	Gabriel Baranovskii

Elisseeff Emporium in St. Petersburg is a large retail and entertainment complex, including a famous food hall, constructed in 1902–1903 for the Elisseeff Brothers. Located at 56 Nevsky Prospekt, the complex consists of three buildings, although the corner one is the structure that is referred to as Elisseeff’s store or shop (Елисеевский магазин). Designed by architect Gabriel Baranovskii (Baranovsky, Baranowski, Гавриил Васильевич Барановский), it is one of the most striking examples of St. Petersburg Art Nouveau architecture, although at the time of its construction the building was considered controversial.

A restaurant formerly stood at the site. In 1881, revolutionary Narodniks built a tunnel under Malaya Sadovaya Street from the basement of that building, preparing to plant mines to assassinate Czar Alexander II. By March 1 the preparations were complete, but the Czar did not pass that way on that day (and was instead killed by other means).

The present building was constructed 1902–1903. Before the revolution of 1917, the shop was under the control of the Elisseeff Brothers merchants. From 1917 to the 1990s, the shop was operated by a state company. It was known as Gastronom No. 1. during this period.

In the mid-1990s, the shop was operated by a Public limited company "Eliseevsky shop". The holding company "Parnas-M" which was owner received in 1995 the right to receive the rent of the trading floor for 49 years.

On July 29, 2002, the company «Eliseevsky shop» declared its intention to lease part of the trading house. The company intended to lease 2,200 square metres, the rent was estimated to be $1 million, but privatisation has not been completed.

In the autumn of 2005 "Parnas M" declared the intention to sell a lease of the Eliseevsky shop to "Arbat-prestige" a Moscow perfumery network. "Arbat-prestige" was to have been in the main trading floor with an area of 900 square metres to sell its perfumery goods. The Elisseeff Emporium would have become the leader of its St. Petersburg network. The shop cost was estimated to be $10 million, and the total cost of all investments towards the project of development of an "Arbat-prestige" network were estimated to be $80 million. The idea of a reshaping the most known delicatessen in the city to a perfumery shop has caused negative reaction of society. The Saint Petersburg City Administration has actually put in a veto for the transaction.