Four months ago, Anthony Benda decided defy the odds with a new business venture: opening a book store.
“The optics of this make it seem like I’m doing something kind of crazy – and to be honest, I like that,” he explained.
The optics he’s referring to are book sales in Canada. Statistics show that Canadian book consumption has been steadily declining over the last five years, with a slight spike in 2014.
This book store is the latest addition to a number of new businesses popping up on a stretch of Notre-Dame in St. Henri.
Two years ago the city implemented a bylaw to manage the number of restaurants – but because Benda is opening a book store, and a café across the street, the café is allowed.
“With this bylaw, you’re allowed to open a half restaurant, half service or retail, and it doesn’t count as a restaurant,” explained Craig Sauve, Sud-Ouest city councillor. “It’s a way we are trying to stimulate new services and retail.”
Another concern in the area for any new business is anti-gentrification. Vandals have been known to target the area – but the borough says this shouldn’t be cause for concern.
“If a business is attacked, they can just claim on this fund that we’ve already put together, and so their personal pocketbooks aren’t really affected anymore,” Sauve added.
Even existing businesses agree with the measures put forth to increase business in the area.
“The more people, the merrier—the more commerce that happens on the street, it’s great for us,” said Nicholas Rosati, owner of Dalla Rose, a cremerie on Notre-Dame.
“More people come down – it’s great for us and all the other merchants in the neighbourhood.”
