Vianne: a Novel with Lovely Ideas for Opening a Small Shop on a Shoestring

This Prequel to the book Chocolat is a Study in Scrappy, Local Marketing before Digital

If you’re looking for a lovely novel to drink in for the Valentine’s season, Vianne by Joanne Harris is a good choice. This is the prequel to the tour-de-force book by Harris, Chocolat, published in 1999 which went on to become a film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

Vianne is set six years before Vianne Rocher opens her scandalous chocolaterie in the small French village of Lansquenet in Chocolat (and takes place in the 1990’s, not the 50’s as depicted in the film version of this story).

Following the death of her mother, Sylviane (aka Vianne) arrives in Marseille after leaving New York. She’s blowing around with the wind, running from her past, but chooses to start anew in a local bistrot, La Bonne Mère, for a while. Here she discovers the joy of cooking for the very first time – making family recipes drawn from a special cookbook – all the while adding her own touch.

Vianne soon meets a pair of chocolatiers, Guy (Lacarriere) and Mahmed who are opening a bean-to-bar chocolate shop in a rundown area of Marseille. Eventually she leaves the bistrot and ends up living with the guys, learning how to make chocolates … and also becoming a scrappy marketer in the process.

Vianne helps Guy, and Mahmed visualize their unique chocolate shop, Xocolatl (pronounced “sho-ko-LAH-tul”). She helps market their wares through various local outreach programs that include handing out free samples, distributing flyers, launching a food van with the shop’s info painted on the exterior, and generally keeps their spirits up.

Vianne has a big assist from a homeless man named Stéphane, (and his cat, Pompinette) making signs and creating a magical interior for Xocolatl.

Vianne is a lovely read, and one that would be a great inspiration for anyone looking to open a local shop, eatery, or boutique on a shoestring budget. It’s not meant as a marketing book, and Vianne’s suggestions and efforts are far less “Emily in Paris” and more of a generalized sussing out what she feels will work with the local townspeople. Set before the digital age, Vianne and her friends use personal communication and sensible marketing tactics to bring the new store to Marseille.

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