L’Aubainerie closes its famous store on Avenue du Mont-Royal

After welcoming customers for 50 years, the famous L’Aubainerie store on avenue du Mont-Royal will permanently close its doors in a few weeks. A supermarket will set up shop in the premises used by the Quebec clothing retailer.

Metro is evaluating the possibility of occupying this space, but is not confirming anything at this time. The site “is under analysis,” said company spokesperson Geneviève Grégoire.

For their part, regulars at the Plateau store had undoubtedly already noted that the end was imminent since a closing sale was announced there with attractive discounts. “It’s a closure for the end of the lease,” confirmed the president and CEO of Aubainerie, Jean-Frédéric Pépin, on the phone. The 25 employees affected learned the news a few weeks ago.

“We pushed it back from month to month to try to get it all together, but it was something that was planned,” he adds.

The opening of the two-story store on Plaza Saint-Hubert last fall is directly linked to the closure of the one on Mont-Royal Avenue. Postponing from month to month the final deadline when it had to leave the Plateau, the retailer sought to develop an urban and local project in another district. He has set his sights on Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and its legendary commercial artery. L’Aubainerie has taken up residence in the building which previously housed the Lozeau photo store.

Is he convinced that he will see his customers who are used to shopping on the Plateau go further north to do their shopping? “We are barely three kilometers away,” replies Mr. Pépin, who nevertheless says he is aware of the fact that many consumers appreciate local shops more. We are already soliciting our customers. We give them information to redirect them to Plaza Saint-Hubert. »

Many employees who currently work on Mont-Royal, a 21,000 square foot store, will be transferred elsewhere, assures Mr. Pépin.

Other openings

Rue Saint-Hubert, the opening in October 2023 of the new “urban” concept of 1,600 square feet on two levels with an elevator symbolizes in some way the repositioning of the retailer who wants to get out of the disposable fashion industry, commonly called fast fashion.

It is by beginning this shift that the brand, which has 54 stores, plans to open others. “We are in a period of growth,” Mr. Pépin declared last fall. We want to open stores. In Montreal, we certainly want to increase our presence. »

Smaller, single-department spaces aimed only at children, for example, are all possibilities currently being considered by the retailer. However, it was impossible to have more details on these new projects.