1894

Émile Parfonry, watchmaker and jeweller, bought the land and had 2 houses built, nos 6 and 7. His own shop, the « Magasin Suisse » is located on rue de Namur, but he will be living at no 7 as of 1904.

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In 1896, the first shop opened, G. Lampert’s chemist, which sold an impressive variety of products! After a move to rue Van Campenhout, the shop came back to Square Marguerite no 8 in 1926.

1906-1908

The Laiterie moderne made a short appearance. It sold not only butter, milk and cream but also buttermilk, cheese and curd cheese.

1909-1927

Aux Dames de France became one of the Square’s major attractions.

It had 5 large display windows and sold a variety of novelty and fancy items ! You could buy hosiery (socks and stockings), linen (sheets, pillowcases, baby clothes, shawls and underwear) and haberdashery (ribbons, thread, needles, buttons, wool etc). Many of these articles were sourced in Paris but they were also made on site, which meant they were still affordable. Many people were recruited to work there.

After the war, E. Michel took over the premises, then H.Praille-Michel developed the business from 1923 until 1927. In 1928, the shop was relocated on chaussée de Wavre.

1930

G. Olbrechts and J. Croisé ran their Company of Sanitary Works during this time.
The Brussels citizens started to build  inside bathrooms. They also sold devices to provide gas heating. This was a rarity as it wasn’t very common to have central heating in those days.

After the war J. Croisé continued alone. His brother was an electrician and operated from his premises at the other end of the Square. In 2021, the building is still in the hands of a descendant of the Croisé family.

Vers 1970

A paperware/photocopying shop opened up « Square Copies ». The front of the building still shows this. 

Today the Brocante du Noyer, a second hand shop in Rue du Noyer, uses the ground floor as a warehouse space.