On a stormy day in New York City, the streets are often littered with forlorn, broken umbrellas. Their bent wires stick out of garbage cans and they pile up on the sidewalk after the wind has blown them inside-out, rendering them useless.
But in Paris, a broken umbrella has a place to go.
Thierry Millet, who is more commonly known by his nickname “Monsieur Pep,” has owned an umbrella repair shop, called Pep’s, for 47 years. In all that time, he has been helping the city of Paris stay dry, by fixing their broken umbrellas. And honestly, Millet is adorable. He’s dedicated and loves his craft. “When the umbrella is repaired, it’s beautiful,” he says, referring to not just the umbrella, but the joyous response of the umbrella’s owner after the repair.
Who even knew that a broken umbrella could be fixed? According to Millet, it takes a lot of patience, but is worth it in the end.
“Isn’t it beautiful under the rain? Magic,” Millet says softly, looking at the umbrella.
So, the next time you get caught in a storm in Paris and your umbrella breaks, you know where to go—to Monsieur Pep’s!
