The Bílá labuť Department Store building is located on Na Poříčí Street, one of the busiest streets in the New Town area of Prague 1. The building stands on the former site of the "U Podušků" inn and brewery. Over time, these buildings became known as the White Swan Inn due to the Swan Statute on their facade. In the 1930s the buildings were purchased by :cs:Jaroslav Brouk|Jaroslav Brouk of :cs:Brouk a Babka|Brouk a Babka. The old buildings were demolished and replaced by a functionalist department store which opened in 1939. The new building bore the Bílá labuť name and was designed by renowned architects :cs:Josef Kittrich|Josef Kittrich and :cs:Josef Hrubý |Josef Hrubý. The department store has a total area of about 72,000 m³ spread over 11 floors, including 6 retail floors. It is recognized as one of Prague's most architecturally important buildings and a celebrated example of the "International Style" of functionalism. At the time of its opening, it was the largest and most modern commercial building in Central and Eastern Europe and remains well known throughout the Czech Republic as a retail icon. Interesting features of the building included modern interior design, the first escalator in Prague, and a glass facade measuring 33 x 18 meters, consisting of 180 sheets of non-transparent, silver-gray glass with thermal- and noise-insulating properties. At the time, it was the largest glass-covered space in central Europe. There is also an eight-meter revolving neon swan on the roof – the oldest neon sign in Prague. The building was opened on 19 March 1939 against the tragic background of the Nazi occupation of the Czech Republic, which had occurred four days previously, and the store has been continuously operating since then.
Today
In November 2017, a renovation that fully respects the original, historically protected, construction began. This includes a complete restoration of the glass facade, which had deteriorated significantly over the years. The store remains a key retail destination in Prague, with high footfall and excellent demographics in the surrounding area. Tenants include Lidl, Kika, and a large number of other medium to smaller retail spaces.
