Paid parking: this shopkeeper has an unexpected solution to attract customers

And why not? Since the beginning of October 2025, in Jarville-la-Malgrange (Meurthe-et-Moselle), Audrey, manager of a shop specializing in second-hand toys and children's clothing, has implemented a refund system for her customers who arrive by car. For any purchase over 15 euros, she refunds 1 euro to her customers upon presentation of their parking ticket, reports the Lorraine edition of the media outlet Actu.fr.

This approach addresses a very real problem: on Rue de la République, where her shop is located, parking is paid and limited to a maximum of 3 hours, with only 14 free 30-minute "drop-off" spaces. These spaces are quickly filled, and to stay for an hour, enough time to shop, one must therefore pay €1.20.

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Like other shopkeepers in the city, Audrey is partly dependent on customers who come to shop by car. This situation is not new. As early as February 2023, just one month after the introduction of paid parking , around forty shopkeepers were already sounding the alarm. Some reported a loss of revenue of up to 40% to the local radio station France Bleu (now called "Ici").

A customer interviewed in 2023 summed up the dilemma well: she preferred to shop at stores with free parking, even though she liked the shops in the town center. Faced with these difficulties, Audrey acknowledges that the town hall listened to her concerns by granting her two 45-minute "drop-off" parking spaces instead of 30 minutes, a necessary amount of time when customers drop off clothes to sell.

However, the shopkeeper believes the city center lacks appeal: people don't stroll around, she concludes on Actu.fr. This issue raises an even broader question: how to support local businesses in a world of online ordering and delivery.