Automated deps, are they the future?
Bill Brownstein writes about an unstaffed 24-hour automated super-dépanneur opening in Griffintown. Already I’m seeing this as a possible site for a horror movie, but maybe that’s the Halloween decor around my neighbourhood getting into my brain.
Meantime, my ‘hood is facing losing its dep. The couple from China who’ve run the corner store at least since I’ve lived in Villeray (2005) are being turfed out by their landlord by the end of the year, and the woman tells me she needs a break anyway, after so many years of standing behind the counter all day. People are sad – the family has been part of our local scene for so long.
I don’t know whether it’s typical, but are city neighbourhoods becoming more like dormitory suburbs? Since living here, I’ve seen the loss of the corner bakery, the loss of one of the two independent deps and now the other. Is the implication that it’s no longer necessary to have the basics for sale within a short walk, because of course we all drive?
Ali 09:48 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
Wait till the ultra-fast grocery delivery startups start popping up in Montreal as well.
Jonathan 09:59 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
Many boroughs like VSP are actually losing population as demographics squeeze household size downward and rich families convert plexes into single family mansions with mitoyen walls
Kevin 10:11 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
I think it’s the opposite — all those commercial streets that are doing well, as pointed out in La Presse the other day — are neighbourhoods where thousands of people live within walking distance.
DeWolf 10:27 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
I agree with Kevin. There aren’t fewer neighbourhood businesses than there used to be, but demographics and tastes are changing, so the commercial landscape has shifted. Most of those corner retail spots on residential streets in Villeray are becoming cafés, lifestyle shops or other businesses than can make a decent profit even at a low-traffic location.
Deps in particular have been dropping like flies all over Montreal. The smoking rate has been cut in half over the past 20 years, people are more discerning in what they drink, and people are more mobile than they used to be – which doesn’t mean they’re driving to a strip mall for their necessities, just that they’re willing to walk an extra five or ten minutes to the main commercial strip where they can go to a good fruiterie or one of the countless zero-waste bulk food stores that have popped up recently. If you look at the deps that are surviving, they’re either in high-traffic locations or they’ve gone a little upscale, selling craft beer, local products and prepared food.
Kate 10:31 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
Not only businesses. One of the closed deps I describe became residential, and the woman at the still-open dep says there’s a strong chance her dep will also be transformed into residential space. (But it was clear she didn’t care, or didn’t want to care, what becomes of it when she’s gone.)
JaneyB 10:40 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
The green grocer/dep seems to be doing well in Verdun. I do most of my grocery shopping at 2 of them because their prices are so much lower than at IGA. One of the owners is very animated about how less smoking has cut into his profits so I guess that’s an issue. The leasing costs are crazy-high so I’m not sure how they do it – I don’t buy that many carrots, after all. The chip & smokes deps must be just barely making it.
Blork 11:49 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
So if you want a bunch of free stuff, just shoulder surf your way into Aisle24 behind someone who has the app, fill your bags, and walk out.
Ephraim 13:34 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
Couche Tard has one at McGill… https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/mcgill-university-and-alimentation-couche-tard-launch-unique-laboratory-store-propel-retail-industry-327714
dhomas 17:46 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
@Blork if you want to steal, you’re better off doing it at a dep that doesn’t have a bunch of cameras in it.
About the concept, I’m pretty sure this company eventually wants to be acquired by Amazon. The concept seems far too similar to the Amazon Go stores they are also deploying. This looks like a convenience store version with less tech.
Ephraim 19:00 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
@dhomas – You don’t actually check out at Amazon Go stores. You simply bag it as you take it and leave. The system automatically bills you. https://www.pocket-lint.com/gadgets/news/amazon/139650-what-is-amazon-go-where-is-it-and-how-does-it-work
dhomas 20:18 on 2021-10-29 Permalink
@Ephraim Right, that’s what I meant by “with less tech”. With the Amazon tech, it could be completely automated.
Kate 09:10 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
I was down on St-Viateur on Friday for the first time in awhile, and noticed both its dépanneurs are gone. The Dary is just locked up, and Dépanneur La Rose, facing the church, has been turned into a hipstery little deli.
Ian 10:47 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
Dary got booted by the owner who was hoping to turn it into a restaurant, then covid hit. Rose had something similar happen but the hipster pizza joint squeaked in at an opportune moment. The hipster place at J-M & St. V used to be a grocery, too. The only one left is the little dep next to Batory, the longstanding Polish deli on the north side.
CE 12:49 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
St-Viateur is pretty much turned into a food court for the tech workers on the other side of St-Laurent.
JS 12:58 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
When I moved to St-Viateur 20 years ago there were 5 deps between St Laurent & Parc.
steph 19:42 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
Knowing that deps have survived for years on cigaretts and alcohol, I won’t shed a tear seeing them disappear. I think our communities will be better for it.
Kate 20:25 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
Well… I’ve bought toilet paper at mine (not all the time, but it’s been handy in the depths of winter), cat food (ditto), occasionally chips, soda or beer, I’ve put STM tickets on my Opus card, I once bought the best ramen I ever had there (and stopped buying it when I noticed how much sodium was in the flavour packet), I’ve had things printed out off their computer, and once when I was feeling strangely dizzy and weird I left my spare house key with the dep lady so someone could pick it up and feed my cat if I was in the ER a long time (I wasn’t, and I was fine).
So I will miss the corner dep when it closes.
MarcG 20:41 on 2021-10-30 Permalink
I’m thankful to have a corner dep that will likely never close (near a metro station and a school). Even though I haven’t been in it in 19 months, I used to use and appreciate it in the same way Kate describes.