While the pandemic rages on, we’re seeing so many businesses closing their doors. There has literally never been a better time to shop local. Larger corporations and multinationals will make it out of the pandemic relatively unscathed, small shops and local businesses may have a harder time coming out the other end.
When you shop small or local, your hard-earned cash directly becomes someone else’s hard-earned cash. Your money isn’t going to some giant corporation, it’s helping keep the lifelong dream of someone else afloat. When you choose local, you’re directly supporting a specific person (or people!).
Another great reason to keep your purchases local is your environmental impact. Generally speaking, local shops and brands have smaller collections, encouraging more thoughtful spending. A company that is making its products locally does not have the carbon footprint of one that is importing products from the other side of the world.
Shopping from independent retailers means investing in your community and allowing the designers to grow and evolve, thus making room for creatives, and amazing craftsmanship . As a local business, we wanted to share some of our favorite neighbors with you, to encourage you to encourage them.
Boutique 1101
photo credit: boutique 1101 instagram
If you love all things kitchen, this is the spot for you. Boutique 1101, formerly Les Touilleurs, boasts an impressive selection of high-end kitchen supplies from state-of-the art international independent designers. The design of the store itself is gorgeous, don’t be surprised to find yourself browsing their open shelves of kitchen essentials from Le Creuset to Maison Milan for hours. Fernando, the owner, is all about the importance of bringing people together in the kitchen, so you know that this is the place to get whatever it is you need for your next, and future, gatherings.
Boutique 1101
152, avenue Laurier Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H2T 2N7
Jacques et Anna
photo credit: jacques & anna instagram
Inspired by their dovetailing interests, father-daughter duo Jacques et Anna have come together to create the most beautiful light fixtures you’ve seen. Their simple designs, made with many different types of materials make their pieces something to behold. You can see their work in commercial locations like New City Gas or in Montreal’s Candide, but they also do residential work, as evidenced by the stunning piece in their catalogue on their website.
Jaques & Anna
6355, avenue du Parc
Montréal (Québec) H2V 4H5
Jazmin Sarai
photo credit: jazmin sarai instagram
Get lost in the beautiful marriage of scent and sound with Jazmin Sarai perfumes. Each non-binary scent is made in small batches and hand bottled. Through the senses, Dana El-Masri aims to tell the stories of “artists, people of color”, in order for everyone to see the world outside of our eurocentric lens, through one that is “sharper in nuance”. In connecting sight, sound and culture with her scents, she hopes to raise awareness on the unappreciated and under-represented while eliciting raw emotion from her customers.
Gazelles
photo credit: gazelles instagram
Each piece by Gazelles is first sketched in pencil, by hand. They specialize in high-end clothing for the working woman, all made in Quebec. The collections, created by designer Habi Gerba, have the utmost importance placed on cut, materials and the finishing. Gerba wants the clothing to be quality pieces that will remain impeccable throughout your busy day. Their by-appointment-only shop, “Le Salon”, on Montreal’s Saint-Denis street was designed by Franck Perez and was made with the idea of allowing their customers to shop in a modern, peaceful and bright atmosphere. As it’s by-appointment-only, you have the store and staff to yourself, giving you the time to explore the collection piece by piece.
Gazelles
3859 St-Denis
Montréal, (Québec) H2W 2M4
Grumman '78
photo credit: grumman 78 instagram
No Montreal list is complete without at least one restaurant mention. We already loved Grumman78 pre-Covid, but their take-out game has become so strong in these last months, we’d say it’s a full-blown love affair now. You can order their delicious tacos online and pick them up to go, but they also offer a grocery service on their website which enables you to order fruits, bread, even local flowers! If you want to get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors for a little longer than just a walk around the block, you can enjoy your tacos on Grumman’s super charming Sud-Ouest terrace! Social distancing measures are in place so you can enjoy without worrying about how close you are to other diners. Whether you’re ordering online, visiting their terrasse, or getting something to go from their food truck, Grumman78 is a Montreal staple, for a reason! Definitely give them a visit!
Grumman '78
630 Courcelle St.
Montréal (Québec), H4C 3C5