Les Deux Magots

Les Deux Magots began its life in 1812, but it was not a café at all. It operated as a store on the nearby Rue de Buci that specialized in silk and novelty items. The shop took its name from a popular theatrical comedy of the time titled Les Deux Magots de la Chine. The two wooden figurines of Chinese mandarins that gave the shop its name were brought along when the business relocated to this corner in 1873. They remain here today, perched on the central pillars, watching over the room just as they did when the business was still selling fabric instead of espresso.