André Desmeules knows the nuts and bolts of his business, Vélomane inside out — so well enough that he knows things aren’t going well.
Desmeules has decided he’s closing his shop on St-Hubert Street in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie on Sept. 28. He blames ongoing construction in the area for it.
“We certainly lost 50 per cent the day the work started,” Desmeules explained. “We’re going to lose $200,000 probably for sales so it’s just not worth it.”
Construction on St-Hubert Street is part of a $50-million project the city of Montreal kicked off in 2018. Workers are replacing the street’s century old sewers and widening the sidewalks among other things.
“The vision that well-intended people put together is just too bold for actual businesses to survive,” Desmeules told Global News.
The St-Hubert Plaza Merchants Association says Vélomane’s case is a one-off. “During the construction itself, nobody closed,” said Mike Parente, who runs the association.
“It’s been a tough year for many of the merchants. A lot of them tightened their belts,” Parente added. “Those who have gone through the construction, they’ve gotten through it and right now, they are very happy with the results and are very optimistic going forward.”
The city feels the same way.
François Limoges, a city councillor for the Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie borough, says he is “super duper extraordinarily confident” about the project.
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Limoges says the city has done their homework and they are proud of their planning efforts. The councillor believes it will all pay off.
“Keep faith,” Limoges says to business owners.
“The plaza will be beautiful. The north part is almost finished, you will see it this fall, it’s beautiful. It will give a boost to this artery of Montreal.”
The city also has a compensation program that offers up to $30,000 dollars to struggling merchants like Desmeules.
“The promises are just unreliable. I cannot bet the house on a promise from the city,” Desmeules said.
With construction expected to wrap up next fall, Desmeules says he will simply move on.
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