A young lady shopping in Montreal (stock photo) |
Montreal has always been a shopper’s paradise. The city features numerous shopping malls, plenty of vibrant galleries, a thriving fashion industry and of course, the world-famous Underground City. In Montreal, you will find all the major brand-name stores along with small boutiques that offer unique items that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Montreal is a popular destination for shopping addicts and fashionistas. In fact, visitors come from all over the world to Montreal for the unique purpose of shopping! From major department stores, unique boutiques and discount stores, you will find it all in Montreal. You can find various types of stores all over Montreal. Below are some of the types of stores that you will find in Montreal.
Shopping malls
Montreal’s shopping centers are stylish, trendy, hip and fun. With Montreal being one of North America’s most fashionable cities, it is no wonder that people in Montreal love to shop. In Montreal’s shopping malls, you will find many of the world’s most recognizable brands, as well as some pleasant up-and-coming designers. There are various malls locate around Montreal, with the most popular being the shopping malls that are located inside the downtown core with access to the Underground City. You can visit our Montreal Shopping Centers section for a list of Montreal’s most popular shopping centers.
Clothing stores in Montreal
Regardless of the season, there are various clothing stores in Montreal. The downtown area has a great mixture of local clothing chains and major designer stores. The Plateau region features cool and trendy clothing stores for young adults while Old Montreal features many designer clothing.
Art Stores in Montreal
The art scene in Montreal is like no other in North America. There are various galleries that sell artwork in the downtown area, particularly around Montreal’s gallery strip on rue Sherbrooke, around rue Crescent. You can also find smaller galleries in the Plateau neighbourhood. These galleries feature younger, up-and coming artists whose work is usually more affordable. For the more serious art shopper, Old Montreal is the best neighbourhood to shop for artwork because of its abundance of galleries and boutiques.
Antique Stores in Montreal
Montreal is a great city to shop for antiques. You will find many antique stores in Montreal’s Antiques Alley, rue Notre-Dame. This street features more than a dozen antique shops for you to skim through. If you are looking for antiques, furniture or memorabilia, you will find it here. In fact, many of New York’s antique dealers often come to Montreal to get the best antique in Montreal.
Book Stores in Montreal
Montreal is North America’s largest hub for quality French books. There is also a good variety of English books. The English book scene in Montreal is located mostly in the downtown area while the French bookstores are located primary in the Latin Quarter and everywhere else around Montreal.
Music Stores in Montreal
Various types of music store are located all over Montreal. Several large music chains can be found in Montreal’s downtown core and other areas of the city. You can find every type of music in Montreal From eclectic to modern, there is a music store in Montreal to suit your taste.
Specialty Food and Liquor Stores in Montreal
If you are shopping for fine chocolate, maple syrup or Quebec cheese, then try some of Montreal’s famous markets. Shopping at the Jean-Talon or Atwater market grants you access to specialty food and liquor from all over the world, as well as specialty food that can only be found in Quebec. Another great place to pick up local food and liquor is avenue Laurier.
Montreal Shopping Resources
 | Complexe Les Ailes Located at the heart of Downtown Montreal and Montreal's Underground City, Le Complexe Les Ailes offers many exclusive boutiques and retail stores. Some of the popular stores in Le Complexe Les Ailes includes Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger and Forver XXI. |
 | Les Cours Mont-Royal Les Cours Mont-Royal is Montreal's high class shopping center located in the heart of downtown Montreal. This up-scale shopping center is both classy and sophisticated, with an elegant decor. Shoppers will find many of the popular luxury brands like DKNY, Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana. Besides being a popular shopping area, the Cours Mont-Royal also houses many cafes, restaurants, offices and luxury apartments |
 | Place Montréal Trust Place Montreal Trust is located in the heart of downtown Montreal, at the corner of St. Catherine Street and McGill College Avenue. Place Montreal Trust attracts nearly 15 million visitors each year. It also boasts the largest indoor water fountain in all of North America. During the Christmas season, a magnificent Christmas Tree, over 5 stories tall, enchants visitors with its animated storybook characters. This Christmas tree illuminates the entire shopping center. |
 | Shopping in Downtown Montreal Montreal's downtown core is also home to the world famous Underground City which has over 1,500 boutiques. This 28- kilometer (18-mile) underground complex links some of Montreal's best shopping centers to one another. The Underground City also contains many hotels and most of the downtown Métro stations. |
 | Shopping in Old Montreal Although Old Montreal contains many stores and shops that sell tourist souvenirs and trinkets, you can also find some great stores and boutiques, particularly on rue St-Paul. Rue St-Paul contains a variety of 19th and 20th century commercial buildings along its cobblestone street. You will find shops, restaurants and galleries along this street. |
 | Shopping in Outremont In the Outremont area of Montreal, there is only one street to remember: avenue Laurier. This upscale shopping street is where Montreal’s wealthy Outremont residents come to shop. Avenue Laurier is home to many gourmet food stores and bakeries. There are also various boutiques on avenue Laurier between avenue du Parc and boulevard St-Laurent that sell upscale goods that range from appliances to clothing. |
 | Shopping in the Plateau The heart of Boulevard St-Laurent’s shopping district is between rue Sherbrooke and avenue Mont-Royal. This is one of the trendiest and hippest places to shop in Montreal. This stretch contains many trendy hair salons, clothing stores, fashionable lounges, chick bars and hip restaurants. |
 | Shopping in Westmount Westmount’s Sherbrooke street is where you will get a huge selection of upscale clothing, books, shoes and home furnishing. It is a great street to stroll on. Close to Sherbrooke street is Greene avenue, you will find many good bookstores on this street. |
 | The Montreal Eaton Centre (Le Centre Eaton de Montréal) The Eaton Centre is located in the heart of it all: The downtown core, the Underground city and the McGill Metro station. This excellent location makes Montreal's Eaton Centre the most popular shopping mall in Montreal. With over 175 retailers to choose from, you can whatever it is that you are looking for in Montreal's Eaton Centre. |
