Latecomers will have to hurry to get their hands on the last pairs of glasses still on sale that will allow them to safely watch Monday’s eclipse.
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Although the vast majority of stores recognized by the Éclipse Québec group have been out of stock for several days already, a few merchants still had a few pairs of glasses for sale on Saturday morning.
This is particularly the case of the company specializing in the sale of Certified Cartouches printing products, located in an industrial district of Longueuil.
“There was a line before opening at 10 a.m., it looked like the premiere of a film,” said Matthieu Laroche, the president of the company.
This constant flow of customers never stopped all day. The company, which sold 200,000 pairs of glasses online especially for the eclipse, managed to make 400 available to people who showed up directly on site.
“My day is made, great! I was almost discouraged,” said an elder upon receiving his precision mount.
Certified Cartouches will certainly no longer have frames to sell at the end of the day, estimates Mr. Laroche.
Latest pairs
A bell sound similar to that heard at the Zedem musical instrument store, on the North Shore of Montreal.
“I think we’ll get through our 400 pairs today. I have already sold 150,” said David Cléris, manager of the Terrebonne store, only an hour after its opening.
David Cléris, manager of the Zedem store, holds one of the last pairs of glasses on sale for Monday’s solar eclipse.
MARIO BEAUREGARD/AGENCE QMI
He made sales to families who traveled from the mainland or even the South Shore to obtain the latest coveted pairs.
“They just realized that they needed glasses,” said Mr. Cléris, who normally sells guitars and pianos, rather than astronomy equipment.
A Montrealer and his daughter went to the Zedem store after calling, in vain, several other stores closer to home.
They left happy with their precious purchases, even having fun testing them in the parking lot before hitting the road again.
In one week, the company sold 1,500 pairs of glasses distributed by the Astro-Nature online store, run by a former student of the music school.
In total, the company specializing in astronomy has sold more than 50,000 pairs of glasses in Quebec, mainly to individuals.
Alternative
Stocks are also available in certain businesses not approved by Éclipse Québec.
In these cases, it is important to verify that the glasses meet the ISO 12312-2 standard before purchasing them.
To comply with international standards, glasses labeling must notably contain the name and location of the manufacturer, the organization that tested the product as well as instructions on use.
On Monday, 150,000 pairs of glasses will be distributed free of charge by the Planetarium at Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Glasses will also be available in front of the Science Center, in the Old Port of Montreal, Monday from 1:00 p.m. and while stocks last.