Iconic downtown Montreal Archambault store to shut its doors this summer

The Archambault Music store located on the corner of Ste-Catherine Street East and Berri Street in downtown Montreal will be shutting its doors for good this June, after over a century in business.

On Friday morning, the company informed the 34 employees there about the store's closure, blaming a loss in profits on changing customer habits and "the deterioration in business prospects" in the Place Émilie-Gamelin that "could no longer be ignored."

Floriane Claveau, director of communications at the Archambault Group, also pointed to the negative impact of construction sites on customer traffic.

"We do not dispute the choices made by the city of Montreal in terms of urban planning," she said in a news release. "But we cannot ignore this new reality. Under the circumstances, it was impossible for us to proceed with the renewal of the lease which was about to expire."

The Union of Professional and Office Employees greeted the news with "grief and dismay."

"Archambault is part of the history of Montreal, it will be a great loss for everyone," said Dominic Béland, president of the union's 574 sector, which represents the workers at the Ste-Catherine Street location.

"We are currently analyzing the closing conditions, and we are speaking with the employer," he said. "The provisions of the collective agreement must be respected."

But while the store will close down, a piece of its history will remain. Archambault said that the sign overlooking Ste-Catherine will not be taken down and that it recognizes its heritage value.

The iconic sign had been removed in 2018 before being reinstalled less than a year later following protests on social media.

Quebecor then acquired the colourful neon sign, stating it would ensure its preservation and keep it in place at the downtown street corner where it has been hanging for generations.

Archambault will still have 14 stores across the province of Quebec after the closure.