Bookstore rent story in the news
CTV has the story about S.W. Welch’s rent hike. Welch posted to Facebook that his store is still open for the moment.
Update: Le Devoir also has the story and says the bookstore will be operating till August and describes the owner as “L’imposant barbu à la voix grave et à la longue barbe blanche”!
Bert 09:31 on 2021-02-27 Permalink
Eater has a story on S+L – https://montreal.eater.com/2021/2/26/22302788/montral-mile-end-dining-scene-gentrification-shiller-lavy-listing-real-estate
Meezly 11:32 on 2021-02-27 Permalink
CultMtl and Global News too.
qatzelok 12:04 on 2021-02-27 Permalink
That would be a great location for a new Birkin Bag boutique!
https://www.instyle.com/news/melania-trump-hermes-birkin-collection-cost
DeWolf 16:53 on 2021-02-27 Permalink
I wrote about this yesterday for Cult MTL. As I was doing the story it occurred to me that I originally met Stephen the last time he had to move from his former location on St-Laurent. I did an article about it for the Gazette:
https://www.pressreader.com/canada/montreal-gazette/20070318/281947423395705
It strikes me that, although both cases involve a rent hike, the story is quite different. Back in 2007, the rent hike was just 20% and moving to St-Viateur was more about following the bookstore’s customer base, which was migrating north. In this case, the rent hike is an astonishing 150% (on top of a 70% hike last year) and the store still has many loyal customers in the neighbourhood.
When I spoke with Stephen yesterday, he said he thought the fundamental character of St‑Viateur would remain intact because some of the oldest and most beloved businesses (the bagel shop, Arahova, Olimpico, Social Club, the Polish place) own their buildings. But everything else is at risk. Shiller Lavy seems only interested in renting to chain stores or restaurants – apparently, they think S.W. Welch’s space would be ideal for yet another takeout-oriented restaurant.
Rumour has it that the corner spot once occupied by the French bakery will become a new version of Laurier BBQ. You might remember that as the ill-fated restaurant opened by chef Gordon Ramsay and (surprise!) Danny Lavy of Shiller-Lavy. That venture ended in disaster when Lavy and Ramsay had a falling out and ended up suing each other for millions of dollars.
Kate 17:31 on 2021-02-27 Permalink
Thank you, DeWolf.
GC 10:43 on 2021-02-28 Permalink
I didn’t know Lavy was involved with Laurier BBQ, but that tracks. (Or, more likely, I just didn’t know who he was at the time…so it didn’t mean anything when I read the name in an article.)
Kate 11:07 on 2021-02-28 Permalink
Laurier BBQ existed for decades before Gordon Ramsay got involved. It was in pretty precipitous decline at that point. I was working nearby and, one lunchtime, popped in to see if anything looked promising, but it was quiet and the few customers were very, very old. Not to be ageist, but that’s never a good sign. I didn’t eat there, and never tried it during the brief Ramsay regime.
Meezly 12:02 on 2021-02-28 Permalink
That was a good article, DeWolf. And thanks for sharing that extra tidbit about the ownership of the other St-Viateur buildings.
DeWolf 13:56 on 2021-02-28 Permalink
Danny Lavy called me last night (!!) so I’ve got a follow-up coming on Monday. He had a lot to say about St-Viateur, the mayor and pandemic restrictions.