Iconic Archambault store near Berri-UQAM to close in June
The iconic Archambault store in the Latin Quarter, which Montrealers have seen for decades as they exit the Berri-UQAM metro, will close its doors on June 30.
Archambault Group said Friday in a statement that it announced the news "with regret" to employees.
The company says that the business outlook in the neighbourhood was deteriorating steadily and no longer allowed it to be profitable "despite significant investments made in recent years."
The group points out that construction sites have spread throughout the area, which it says has become, over time, a "laboratory for urban mix."
"We do not dispute the choices of the City of Montreal in terms of urban planning. However, we cannot ignore this new reality," said Floriane Claveau, director of communications for Archambault Group.
The union representing the 30 or so employees who will be out of work said it was dismayed by the news.
"Archambault is part of Montreal's history, and this will be a great loss for everyone. We are currently analyzing the conditions of the closure and we are discussing with the employer," said Dominic Béland, president of the Office and Professional Employees Union, Local 574.
Archambault Group has also indicated that the store's famous sign, which was acquired by Quebecor in 2017, will be able to remain in place despite the closure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 27, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parks Canada says new reservation system working well as bookings open in busy Banff
Parks Canada says its new online reservation system to book camping sites and other activities at national parks appears to have worked well during its first week of operations.

Upgrading Safe Third Country Agreement about reassuring Canadians: PM Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he feels it is his role to see the Safe Third Country Agreement upgraded, in order to make sure Canadians can continue to have confidence in Canada's immigration system.
Han Dong resigns from Liberal caucus amid foreign interference allegations
Han Dong has announced he will be sitting as an independent MP after being the subject of foreign interference allegations.
Foreign mothers of Canadian children seek escape from ISIS detention camp
A group of lawyers is racing against the clock to get Canadian children and their foreign-born mothers onto a plane that will soon be dispatched to repatriate detainees from prison camps in northeast Syria.
Budget 2023 to detail crackdown on 'junk fees' for consumers: federal source
A federal source says the coming budget will detail how the Liberals plan to go after hidden or unexpected consumer fees, following the United States announcing its own crackdown on these charges.
Canada broke a population growth record in 2022: StatCan
Canada's population grew by more than one million over the course of one calendar year, breaking previous records, a new Statistics Canada report says.
Police find 2 more bodies at site of Old Montreal fire; first victim identified
The death toll from last week's massive fire in Old Montreal has risen to four, Montreal police confirmed. Julien Levesque, a police spokesperson, said Wednesday evening that two more bodies were retrieved from the historic building that went up in flames last Thursday.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance'
Canada needs a 'Conservative renaissance,' former prime minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday, but he cautioned that Pierre Poilievre should wait until an election before telling Canadians how he might run the country.
More than 900,000 fewer surgeries were performed over the pandemic in Canada: report
Three years after the start of the pandemic, surgical backlogs and wait times are only just starting to improve, according to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, with patients still waiting significantly longer for surgeries than they did before the pandemic.