From the Champs-Élysées Showcase to the Concept Store: Innovation in Motion

Last update: Oct 15, 2026
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Storefront of
Storefront of "The Centre d'information bancaire BNP" in Paris, 1972 - BNP Paribas Historical archives, PER2_1972_04

May 11, 1970. On the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, BNP inaugurates a brand-new banking information center. A place for public engagement, the bank offers information on its products and allows customers to test cutting-edge technologies, such as the Honeywell-Bull terminal. In the window display, a brass automaton named “Le Marcheur de la BNP” invites passersby to step inside.

The Automaton That Made Headlines

After the 1966 merger of the Comptoir national d’escompte de Paris (CNEP) and the Banque nationale pour le commerce et l’industrie (BNCI), the newly formed Banque Nationale de Paris (BNP) found itself with two addresses on the Champs-Élysées. It decided to transform the location at number 49 into a brand-new space dedicated to public engagement and banking product information.

The news was spread through advertisements and radio announcements: on May 11, 1970, the BNP Banking Information Center opened its doors on the most beautiful avenue in the world.

From the very first day, crowds gathered. At the entrance, Le Marcheur de la BNP—an automaton created by Jacques Monestier—captured everyone’s attention.

The Banking Information Center was a modern, pleasantly decorated space.

Automate, Le Marcheur, exposé à l’entrée du Centre d’information BNP en 1970 – Archives historiques BNP Paribas, PER2_1970_03
Automaton, “Le Marcheur BNP” (“BNP Walker”), displayed at the entry of “Le Centre d’Information Bancaire BNP” (BNP Banking Information Centre) in 1970 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives, PER2_1970_03

Inside: Technologies That Transformed the Customer Experience

In this avant-garde space, exhibitions and cultural events followed one another, but the focus remained on banking. Visitors could, if they wished, receive advice from BNP’s team of advisors, trained to answer questions about savings, real estate investments, and portfolio management.

Five months after the center’s opening, a Honeywell-Bull terminal was made available to the public. This computer could provide an answer to a real estate financing question in just a few seconds. Crowds of newlyweds flocked to try it!

A year later, in 1971, a new terminal was introduced at the Center: in just nine seconds, it could determine the most suitable home savings plan for a visitor. The success was such that BNP decided to equip its most important regional centers with this Honeywell-Bull terminal.

Console du terminal Honeywell-Bull du Centre d’information de la BNP en 1971
Monitor of the Honeywell-Bull terminal at “Le Centre d’information bancaire BNP” (“BNP Banking Information Centre”) in 1971 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives, PER2_1971_01

From the Champs-Élysées to the Concept Store: The Same Innovative Spirit

Fifty years later, the spirit of the Champs-Élysées lives on. The Concept Store, inaugurated in 2010 at Place de l’Opéra, is its direct heir. Like in 1970, it offers a hybrid space where customers discover the latest innovations—digital kiosks, interactive tools—in a modern and welcoming setting.

And as a nod to history, Le Marcheur is still on display.

Automate, Le Marcheur en 1971
Automaton “Le Marcheur BNP” (“BNP Walker”) in 1971 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives, PER2_1971_04
Automate, Le Marcheur exposé au « Concept Store », situé 2 Place de l’Opéra à Paris en 2013
Automaton “Le Marcheur BNP” (“BNP Walker”) displayed at the “Concept Store”, located 2 Place de l’Opéra in Paris, 2013 – BNP Paribas Historical Archives
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BNP Paribas Historical Archives (PER2412EL)
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