Inside Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels mainly on the run, his office in his backpack, on the lookout for fascinating subjects and people. He speaks to everyone and is interested in all walks of life in this urban chronicle.
After years of perpetual disturbing construction sites that complicate or “maze” access to his shop, a shopkeeper has ironically decided to bring the orange panels and cones directly inside his walls in order to make things talk and that things, or rather, the cones, move…
The Experience Bière craft beer store will not be playing music this week, but rather a deafening You Tube recording of construction noises: the roar of heavy machinery, the thunderous crash of a jackhammer, the metallic screeching of the round asphalt saw, etc.
“Isn’t that a good soundscape for a business in Montreal?” jokes Olivier Marceau Landry.
The shop owner greets me wearing a construction vest.
“It doesn’t make you crazy, this noise, you get used to it, if I believe my employee who worked ten hours with this background noise yesterday.”
“Several customers were very surprised by this choice of frame.”
Don’t be startled if, at a bend in an alley, not far from the natural sparkling wines, you come across a sign “Slow down: children playing”.
Photo provided by Olivier Marceau Landry
Fleeting respite
Ironically, when I visited on Friday, there was no trace of any cones near his door, due to construction holidays.
“It was there again yesterday as always! But this is my two-week summer respite! Finally, we can park… but everyone has gone out of town.
According to Mr. Marceau Landry, the orange cone and detours festival in front of his door will resume at the end of the holiday.
“It’s impressive, the creative means deployed to dissuade customers from coming to shop on the street!” he quips.
“Since January 2021, due to a higher construction site, the City has blocked all parking lots in front of my business. So it’s been more than a year and a half… and it will continue in August, until God knows when…”
The trader may show humor with his Works theme, but we really feel angry.
“I opened an Experience Beer branch on Avenue des Pins just before the start of the work, which completely gutted it… and it hurt me a lot, it killed my business. Here, I try to survive. Fortunately, I have my regulars.
Photo Louis-Philippe Messier
Mr. Marceau Landry intends to maintain his work atmosphere again until next Wednesday… but will he have the courage? Construction noises may wear out his patience.