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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Richard Gagnon <gasp@aga.ca> |
| Subject | Re: With all this talk about Toronto... what about Montreal? |
| Date | Wed, 18 May 2005 20:59:41 -0400 |
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Jason wrote:
> I was about to email the list to get your collective input on record
> stores in Montreal when--OOPS--someone just did the same thing for
> Toronto! I feel like a bit of an ass being so
> Canadian-tourist-destination centricc, but I do really want to know!
>
Now you're talking my language.
> I went to Montreal only once, in 2001 (literally the weekend before
> september 11, actually). I loved the city, but it seemed a bit bereft
> of good music stores. Other than the standard Sam the Record Man
> (which seemed to be a shadow of its supposedly formerly-great self),
> HMV, and Archambault stores, I think I encountered only two tiny used
> shops, neither of them housing much of a collection. I'm going back
> this Memorial Day weekend, and I was wondering if you guys know of any
> good record stores that I should make it a point to hit? I'm staying
> right downtown, kind of near McGill, but we're driving so I can go
> anywhere really. If I can get 2 or 3 really killer ones that'd hit the
> spot.
Well, Sam is indeed gone. RIP. The big stores are standard, nothing
special. But the reason why you didn't score big time on the used
stores is because they're concentrated in a whole other area that the
one you probably visited. As it happens, the area in question, Le
Plateau Mont-Royal, is also a great place to hang out, especially in
the spring and summer.
Between St-Denis and Papineau streets, on Mont-Royal avenue (Mont-Royal
subway station, conveniently; go east, or right, as you exit), there's
at least a dozen used cd shops. The best ones are L'Échange (more on
that later) and Marché du Disque (lots of vinyl too, with an especially
good selection of singles). Just a little further, Fox Troc is a good
little store, mainly because its owners, the three Prud'homme brothers,
really know their stuff.
If prog or metal really float your boat, don't miss FreeSon, several
blocks further east but worth the trip for aficionados.
Of course, this being Montreal, prog and metal will be everywhere
anyway, but these guys specialize.
If you're ambitious, instead of Mont-Royal station, get off at
Sherbrooke station (one stop south) instead and walk up St-Denis
street, where, from you'll encounted the other L'Échange store, and the
excellent Beatnick and Primitive, the last two ideal for hunters of
rare funk, soundtracks, yéyé or general oldies. Good vinyl selection as
well.
As far as I'm concerned, my favourite store remains Cheap Thrills on
Metcalfe street. Friendly, knowledgeable staff, good and varied
selection. That's half a block from Peel Metro Station.
And if you must atone for your insistent record shopping to a female
companion, let her drag you around the *other* side of Mont-Royal
avenue (West of Saint-Denis) for the seemingly endless row of used
clothing stores, known as "Friperies".
There's a gazillion more, but these are my favourites. I don't know, I
lived in Toronto for years, and with every visit since, I've been more
disappointed with their used record stores. Prices are higher, like
everything in Toronto, at least for a Quebecer...great restaurants,
though. I always tell Stewart that the main reason that he likes
Toronto so much is that he's never really visited Montreal, or maybe
it's that Toronto is a good way to leave the US without having to deal
with the unfamiliar.
French director Claude Lelouch said something great about Québec just
yesterday: something to the effect of "Québec's great! It's like
America without the Americans, it's like France without the French." A
wise man.
Oh, and I found this website that delves into the Montreal used record
market much deeper. For further reading, check out
http://www.laventure.net/tourist/montreal.htm
I hope this helps!
Richard
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