1901 

On the death of Henri Gomme, tenant of the estaminet La Distillerie, widow Feyder started up a newspaper shop at the corner of the Square and Rue Veronese. She sold newspapers, stationary, and cigars as well as being the agent no 9 for the post office.

She was also in receipt of many small ads and obituries for Le Soir newspaper. It was one of 10 address in the Brussels region which accepted these announcments. A. Buys took over the premises in 1911. The first floor was rented out to two accountants, Blondiau and Gilis. They started an accountancy institute.

1921

F. Decoster opened a grocer’s shop which specialised in Colonial foodstuffs : roasted coffee, tea from China and Japan, chocolate and cocoa, ground spices, sweet or vanilla candy, dried fruits, preserved fruits (apricots and pineapple), maybe also rum, sauce from England and pasta from Italy. Someone called Engelborghs took it over in 1925.

After the other grocer’s shop which occupied numbers 20 and 21 closed down, this shop will be called for the next 50 years by the name of ‘Epicerie du Square’. There were many owners : Jules Engelborghs and his wife Sophie Romain (1925-1949), then M. Eeckhout (1949-1963) and his widow Lievyns (1963-1974), Luc et Nadine Mespreuve (1974-1985) and finally Jean-Pierre and Françoise Guillaume.

1989

The Guillaumes transformed their shop into ‘Apicius’. They sold high quality goods, fresh young vegetables, cured meat and cheese as well as a take-away service and specalised in dishes exclusively for New Year’s Eve.

1993 & 1997

Apicius wins the Brussels City prize for the best New Year’s Eve window display. All the local residents, and especially the children awaited their display with anticipation.’ It was wonderful to see the children’s eyes sparkle as soon as the shutters opened. It always made us very happy.’

2016

The Guillaumes gave up their business which became again a local grocer.