Passage, department store

Categories / Architecture/Architectural Monuments/Public Buildings and Edifices
Categories / Economy/Commerce
PASSAGE (48 Nevsky Prospect), a trade-manufacturing company and a department store, private corporation (as of 1992). It originates from the Passage store, built in 1846-48 (architect R.A. Zhelyazevich; rebuilt in 1900 by architect S.S. Kozlov) on the site bought in 1846 by Count Essen Stenbock-Fermor. The compositional axis of the three-storied building of the Passage is represented by a glassed-in passageway gallery (Fr. passage, hence the name) between Nevsky Prospect and Italyanskaya Street. Apart from the 64 shops, mainly engaged in selling expensive clothes, jewellery and other luxury items, confectioneries and coffee houses are located here. There was also "the parlour of wax sculptures", the anatomical museum, different panoramic sights and dioramas. There was also a hall for concerts, public lectures and readings (among lecturers, N.A. Nekrasov, I.S. Turgenev, F.M. Dostoevsky and N.G.Chernyshevsky et al.). At the beginning of the 20th century, besides the variety shows, some drama companies came on tour here. In 1904, V.F. Komissarzhevskaya's Theatre was opened; it gave performances for two seasons. Since 1908, the Moscow S.F. Saburov Theatre came on tour here annually. In 1913, the hall of the Passage became its permanent location. Today, the building houses V.F. Komissarzhevskaya St. Petersburg State Academy Drama Theatre. The theatre was closed in 1920. The Passage itself was re-opened after repair work in 1922, as the cooperative Universale Passage, held in trust by Leningrad union of consumer societies. In 1934, after the reconstruction of the interiors (the project elaborated by a group of architects led by N.A. Trotsky) the store was opened as Special Store Passage subordinated to people's Commissariat of the Home Trade. Department stores of this kind opened in Moscow, Leningrad and Kharkov, where they become showcases of socialism, demonstrating the achievements of the national economy in the field of goods manufacturing and sale management. In 1941, the store was temporarily closed. On the 9 February 1947 the first stage Passage facilities were opened. In 1957, the department store passed from federal to municipal jurisdiction. Since 1961, the Passage has specialized in the selling of ladies' goods. Since 1965, the Passage has become the central factory of the company bearing the same name; since 1989 it has been a leased enterprise. In 1992, Passage turned into a joint-stock company, with all 15 branches becoming independent corporate bodies. On 16 May 1993, the Passage became the first Russian commercial enterprise to be admitted into the International Association of shopping centres.

References: "Пассаж". С.-Петербург. 1848-1998. Ист. очерк. СПб.,1998.

V. G. Avdeev. Chernyshevsky Nikolay Gavrilovich
Dostoevsky Fedor Mikhailovich
Essen-Stenbock-Fermor, Count
Komissarzhevskaya Vera Fedorovna
Kozlov Frol Romanovich
Nekrasov Nikolay Alexeevich
Trotsky Noy Abramovich
Turgenev Ivan Sergeevich
Zhelyazevich Rudolf Andreevich
Italyanskaya Street/Saint Petersburg, city
Nevsky prospect/Saint Petersburg, city
Nevsky prospect/Saint Petersburg, city, house 48
Петров Г. Ф. Пассаж. Санкт- Петербург, 1848-1998: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1998 1848