Maple's guide to all things vintage in the cultural capital of Canada.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
The hotspots for the Plateau, revolve around three main streets, Saint Laurent Boulevard, Saint Denis Street and Avenue Mont Royal. It is here you will find nearly all of the best vintage spots, and it is here we begin our vintage list.
As an added bonus, if you find yourself in the Plateau looking through these vintage stores, make sure to stop off in the following spots (our top non-vintage recommendations.) First grab a coffee at Dispatch. For lunch, Capitaine Sandwich (it was our local haunt and boy do we miss it!) On a nice summer's day hit up Cremerie Swirl for a fresh soft serve ice cream and stroll up to Jeanne-Mance Park. For streetwear fans, we cannot mention Montreal without mentioning the Dime Store. After a long day of thrifting, head to Résevoir for a bite to eat and a beer from the micro brewery (if weather permits, get a seat on the balcony.)
Ready to see our top picks? Let's get in the list.
Palmo Goods
263 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal
One of the cities best vintage offerings also seems to be one the newest kids on the block. Palmo Goods has seemingly risen out of from the ashes of a post covid landscape. Since opening a few years back, the store has gone from strength to strength, bolstering their offerings both inside their boutique and via their e-commerce store.
Palmo Goods has really pushed the boundaries for a brick and mortar store, a perfect amalgamation of all the right things. The well-thought out interior design blends unique vintage design aesthetics with quirky and fun memorabilia. The inventive use of objects for display purposes brings a breath of fresh air, whilst also working in perfect cohesion with the curated selection of vintage goods on display.
The vintage clothing and accessories on offer run in cohesion with the branding and curation to create a seamless experience for all. The shop offers just the right amount of clothing to perous, falling into the sweet spot between too-much and too-little. It is clear to see everything, from the layout of the store to the goods on display, has been carefully deliberated and considered. The result is a well executed shop experience, which would hold up on the chicest of LA neighbourhoods.
Tee stack @ Palmo Goods
Club Theo's
1134-A Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal
Our memories of Theo's runs back to 2019, encountering them at multiple pop up events around the city. So it is great to see them going from strength to strength today.
It is clear from the stores curation and design you can see where Theo's get their inspiration from. The store itself incorporates vintage, streetwear and sports culture into one unified space, creating a great shopping experience for fans of any of the above.
What initially drew us to the store was the curation of vintage tees, which leans heavily on popular culture references such as music, film, TV, skating and so on. Mixed in with the curation of vintage goods is a solid range of streetwear, in the way of clothing and sneakers.
In tandem with the store, Theo's have continued to flourish through their social platforms and collaborations with other creatives in Montreal. Theo's have continued to develop their brand and presence within the city. It is interesting to see where they take it and the relationship vintage clothing has in their journey. We highly recommend checking out their social media, which is probably our favourite vintage content coming out of Montreal. So please do: @theosmontreal
Outside of Theo's
Marché Floh
4301 Saint Denis St, Montreal
Marché Floh became one of our very favourite vintage spots to frequent during our time in Montreal. The 5,000 sq ft space was almost too much vintage to sift through in one viewing. However it also meant that during every new visit there was something new to find.
The biggest selling point for this humongous space is the collaborative approach in which it has adopted. Multiple vintage vendors have adopted this space as their home, each having a specific space within the building. The model which has been incorporated at Marché Floh offers a entry-level and low risk retail environment for vintage sellers, which we see as vital in a businesses chances of growth and survival.
The model in place at Marché Floh remains one of the best adopted collaborative vintage spaces we have seen so far. Instead of vintage sellers competing with one another, you can expect to see the exact opposite here. It is refreshing to see multiple sellers all under one roof co-existing and helping one-another to grow.
We have nothing but good things to say about this vintage store, we only wish we could see this model adopted more frequently in other cities.
The entrance to Marché Floh
Stop Shop Boutique
3641 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal
Probably the biggest wild card in the list, it feels as if Stop Shop sits right under people's noses (with its central location) but remains massively under the radar. Sitting almost directly opposite Dime, Montreal's king of streetwear, you can enter the shop via a unassuming black door, which will lead you up some stairs. Upon entering the store, prepare for an vintage overflow.
The interior of the store is slightly difficult to put into words, but something we all highly recommend seeing for yourself. Imagine a loft apartment filled with vintage collectable memorabilia, graphics, murals, plush toys and so much more. Rare t-shirts hang around the walls and ceiling, sports merchandise as well as collectable Americana fill every space available.
It seems like a true lifetime of vintage collecting has made its way into the store. To throw us off even more, the staff room entrance looks like an entrance to another store in itself, with fabric spindles wall to wall, reminiscent of an old-school fabric store. It feels as if each visit is a new experience in itself, with so many unique items to peruse.
The vintage clothing itself is top-tier, with many rare items available. Some of these items can command a high price, but the prices are certainly justified. Stop Shop is a first class vintage store, holding its own as one of Montreal's best.
(we couldn't find a photo to do the store justice, so you'll have to visit to see for yourself.)
La Caravane Vintage
4116 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal
Saint Laurent Boulevard strikes again with another top contender on our list. La Caravane Vintage has been bringing the vintage goods to Montreal since 2019, offering up some of the best vintage pieces in the city.
The vintage boutique combines a carefully curated interior, which blends in to perfect cohesion with the clothing and accessories on display. The store places emphasis on the vintage essentials: think great denim, leather jackets and vintage tees. For an added bonus the store mixes in classic western staples such as cowboy boots, fringed jackets and quirky americana.
With a store this well thought out: it's hard to say anything but good things. When it comes to vintage stores, we always appreciate the attention to detail. It is clear to see that every small detail has been carefully considered to create a fun experience for each customer.
Admiring the interior design @ La Caravane Vintage
Honorable Mentions
With the strength of Montreal's vintage scene, we thought it fitting to include some honourable mentions which are definitely worth visiting, should you visit.
LNF Shop (5319 Park Ave, Montreal)
Any trip to Mile End should include a bagel, and a trip to LNF. The store offers an eclectic range of vintage goods, along with sneakers and streetwear. Our store favourite categories included their vintage t-shirt selection along with the quirky collectables on offer.
Annex Vintage (5364 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal)
A long standing member of the vintage scene in Montreal, Annex intricately blends together a selection of art, homewares, lifestyle and vintage. The store effortlessly brings together all of their goods to create a vibrant shopping experience for all who enter.
Lazy (1682 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal)
Lazy provides a unpretentious and laid back atmosphere, with friendly price points and a huge range of stock. We fondly remember their summer sales, where we found heaps of vintage items for very reasonable prices.
Conclusion
Well that's a wrap on our vintage travel guide to Montreal. If you made it this far, thanks for reading what we have to say and we hope this guide comes in handy, should you make it to Montreal.
If you're interested in seeing our top vintage tips for other cities, why not check out our vintage guides to Toronto or Vancouver.
If you would like us to cover a particular city, let us know!