A multimillion dollar project to revamp Plaza St-Hubert is underway, and while some merchants say the work is forcing them to close their doors, others see an opportunity.
Ginette Verdone has sold knitting and fabric supplies at her store Effiloche for 13 years but the construction led her to believe it was time to close up shop. She said with her lease ending just as construction began, she decided to quit while she was ahead.
“It’s just basically something I didn’t want to live through,” she said. “I didn’t have to so it was an easy choice.”
Once the project is complete, the city will have installed new aqueducts, road and sidewalks, as well as more than 200 new trees and a new awning.
The city has promised compensation for the businesses that take a hit, but St-Hubert Plaza Merchants Association Executive Director Mike Parente said there’s lots of unanswered questions.
“Exactly on what we’ll be compensated, will it be in the amount of sales versus gross profit, that still remains to be seen,” he said.
Parente said that while some stores have closed, others are moving in.
“We’re really happy to say, with the number of stores closed, we have a number of stores that have come in,” he said. “Different stores and big investments.”
Among the newcomers is Epicerie Conserva, which opened its doors two months ago. Owner John Barros said that he was attracted by changing demographics in the neighbourhood and expects business to pick up once the work is done.
“We knew ahead of time what we were getting into and we decided to take the risk,” he said. “We think that when everything is all said and done, it’s going to be a beautiful space and a great place for us to be.”
