This article was updated on September 26, 2019.
It’s so nice to have things to remember a trip by, but is there anything cheesier than tourist-shop fare? Luckily there’s a crop of stores in Montréal that offer genuinely cool Montréal souvenirs you’ll actually want to take home not just for you, but for anyone on your gift list. And not a snow globe in sight.
Within the city’s largest library, the BAnQ, is a boutique packed with affordable goodies (mostly between $5 and $50) representing Montréal and the province of Québec at large, including gourmet products, designer maps, wearables and objects for the home, like framed images of Québec heritage moments.
This beautiful boutique in Little Italy offers goods from all over the world, but there’s a particular focus on local products. BELANGERMARTIN is THE spot to browse stylish homewares, a few gastronomic goods, a handful of beautiful clothes and accessories of all sorts. We’re in love with the PATRIZIO apron by Montréal’s own Maison Milan.
The headquarters of the street-tour based Museum of Jewish Montréal, on Saint-Laurent Boulevard at the corner of Duluth Avenue, are like a community centre: there’s the Fletchers restaurant (mmmm latkes), a small exhibition space and a shop with a beautifully curated selection of books about the city, local honey and funny pins of bagels and challah loaves.
Artgang’s boutique on Saint-Laurent Boulevard sells a very cool collection of urban clothing, featuring brands from Montréal like Atelier New Regime, Boro and their own house brand of sweats, tees and MTL baseball caps. It’s the perfect spot to get gifts even the hip kids in your life will approve of.
Speaking of streetwear, Off The Hook is a mini chain of boutiques that specializes in fly gear. Among the internationally renowned brands you’ll find local lines of clothes and accessories, including neighbourhood tees by Chez Nous, wallets by La Compagnie Robinson and hilarious hoodies by Laval ou Rien. Not to mention its own Off the Hook goods.
A fun and friendly women’s clothing store in Mile End, Boutique Unicorn specializes in independent designer goods with a focus on local designs, especially pieces by the likes of eve gravel and Valérie Dumaine. The range of Montréal-made jewellery is nicely curated and great for easy gifts. For something a bit more homey, check out the selection of beautiful candles by local brand T.Lees Soap Co.
Located on Plaza St-Hubert, arloca is a 100% local workshop-boutique where you can find unique and inspiring curios of all kinds, from handcrafted stationery and jewellery to toys, gardening tools, kitchen gadgets and more. Everything in store is local, ethical and eco-responsible. Plus, you can learn to craft yourself, in its creative workshops led by local artisans on the spot!
A curated marketplace within the space of Phi Centre, Goodee is the brainchild of the Peart brothers, the creators of Montréal brand WANT Les Essentiels. It’s a store uniting uniquely sustainable, eco-minded products from all over the world, including some local, like their own Goodee tote, the perfect carrier bag for all your new souvenirs.
It doesn’t get much more literally local than this small Montréal chain. Dedicated entirely to products made in the province of Québec, Signé Local offers fashion, accessories, cosmetics, homeware and even a wide selection of edible souvenirs, like the addictive coffee-flavoured caramel sauce by La Lichée. Try it on ice cream.
This small chain features apparel and quality goods for everyday life, all made in Canada, to help build a world where contemporary lifestyle is synonymous of sustainable development. c’est beau carries beautiful Montréal products like its own cool line of caps, skincare by Skog and cocktail mixes by 3/4 oz, among others.
The Tourisme Montréal newsletter gives you the inside scoop on everything happening in the city.