Retail trade | Embellishment in the city center

After a long crossing of the desert marked by a drop in attendance and a decrease in sales, merchants in downtown Montreal are gradually reconnecting with consumers. Traffic increased by 40% at these retailers for the second quarter of 2022 compared to last year, according to data published by the real estate agency Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), which describes this recovery as “remarkable”.

Nathaelle Morissette
The Press

This improvement would also encourage well-known chains that do not currently have a store on Sainte-Catherine Street to come and set up shop there, revealed in an interview Manon Larose, senior vice-president, retail, at JLL, refusing however to give more details at this time. She also recalls in passing the upcoming arrival of Nike, which will open its doors at the Eaton Center in the spring, and that of the outdoor boutique Chlorophylle.

“There are several retailers who had put their plans for 2020 and 2021 on hold, who have the capital and are now ready to proceed,” she says.

The return of tourists to the metropolis has greatly contributed to this notable increase in traffic in shopping centers and storefront stores downtown, for the second quarter of 2022 compared to the same period last year. At least that’s what the article concludes. Retail Outlook – Fall 2022 from JLL.

Quebec retailers surveyed by The Press confirm that they have welcomed more customers than last year in their downtown branches. While sales have reached 2019 levels, traffic remains lower than it was before the pandemic. The return of the students could on the other hand allow a certain catch-up, believes François Roberge, owner of the stores La Vie en rose.

Compared to last year, the retailer, which specializes in underwear and swimwear, saw a 32% increase in traffic at its Eaton Center store, 100% at the Complexe Desjardins, 49% at the boutique located on rue Sainte-Catherine and also 49% at the Alexis-Nihon shopping center. Of a total of four stores, three recorded sales equal to or greater than those of 2019, the pre-pandemic year.

“The return of people to the offices is being done gradually, it is sure that it will have an impact”, adds for her part Manon Larose.

“In 2021, people just wanted to get out of their homes. Now, not only do they want to go out, but they want to shop again. »

Also noting that there are more people wandering the streets, Lili Fortin, president of Tristan, remains cautious. “It is certain that when we compare ourselves to 2021 or 2020, it has been such a difficult year that we have very good figures”, she wishes to recall.

Sales at his store located at the corner of Sainte-Catherine and Metcalfe streets have reached 2019 levels, but, in his case too, traffic remains lower. In July, it was 20% lower than the data recorded before the arrival of COVID-19.

“I hope it will stay like this. We are not immune to anything, neither waves of contamination nor recessions, and I think the pandemic has taught us that. »

All over the island

In addition, retailers located throughout the island of Montreal “benefited from a revival of commercial activity,” notes JLL. For the first five months of 2022, categories like personal and health care (+52%), apparel (+51%) and footwear (+39%) saw higher sales compared to the same period last year, according to Statistics Canada. Sales of furniture and renovation products fell by 20%. “These declines are due to current supply issues in these categories,” writes JLL.