St. Laurent & Duluth

Many people know the street of St. Laurent as the place where one can go out, get a drink or go to a club, meet some very interesting people, etc. It's one of the "places to be" on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night - it's infested with tight dresses, high heels, undone ties, and bouncers that line the street from Sherbrooke all the way past Mont Royal. The lights and chaos attract people of all sizes and ages, including policemen who line the street attempting to prevent any potential trouble or "tiffs." As the night wears on, the crowds lessen, the noise dies down, and burnt out cigarettes and empty beer cans are all one can find one the street until the sun comes up to signal the next day.

However, we're going to ignore this part of St. Laurent and focus on the good, the "treasures."

Although the street is home to many shops, each selling different things (some a little more bizarre than others), there is one little corner which I would like to discuss as the topic of my third post. I live near the intersection of St. Laurent and Duluth and walk through it every time I go to class and have somehow managed to ignore a joyful little array of stores that inhabit the corner. In a world full of modern stores, fancy boutiques, and expensive designer trends, the corner of Duluth and St. Laurent is home to four fantastic vintage stores, each next to the other. The stores all have a certain sort of atmosphere that differentiates it from the others, which makes the experience of visiting them even more fun.


The things one can find in the stores is limitless - everything from old Playboy and LIFE magazines to farmer overalls and leather skirts can be found in between the racks. However, due to the recent return of the mindset of "vintage is back" has really helped these stores, and the hipsters of Montreal. I can say that I have even found items in the stores which I can wear without feeling that I belong in the 1970s or 80s. There is a very nice selection of shoulder bags and over-sized cardigans that anyone could use and still find trendy in the contemporary times. Apart from the clothing, there are many other items that relate to the aforementioned time period, such as old jewelry, furniture, glasses, and books. The wallpaper and layout of the store even reflects the time period and makes a customer feel that they've traveled through a time machine.

Although vintage stores are not something that every person would really have an interest in seeing or exploring, I highly suggest that if you have the time, take a look in the stores. They might be easy to pass by and neglect but you never know what sort of a "treasure" you can find once inside.

Treasure #3: The vintage stores at the corner of Duluth and Saint-Laurent