Montreal City Guide

with a heavy emphasis on shopping(!)

Friends, I want to go back to Montreal. For the shopping.

Indeed, the food was great, and Old Montreal [where we stayed] was charming. And I loved the gorgeous autumn sunset we caught on Wednesday evening that painted the sky in peach-y oranges and yellows and pinks. But the shopping, the shopping, was beyond. Maybe it was because it was my first extended solo shopping excursion since the pandemic settled [uninvited, mind us] into our lives. I spent Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday walking up St. Laurent Boulevard ducking in and out of stores with a big smile plastered across my face. My ultimate destination was Maguire Shoes—a boutique shoe store that had been recommended to me, boasting combat-style boots and loafers in surprising colors. I realized Maguire Shoes was only the beginning.

Montreal has a robust small business scene, and the makers I had the pleasure of meeting via their products blew me away. From cool candles and incense, to neatly constructed shirts and interesting silhouetted dresses, I was in blissful shopper’s paradise. Below, I am going to take you on the same walk I did, up this street, and mention a few other spots I generally loved. Bon voyage!