On Thursday, September 5th at 10AM, the newest addition to Montreal’s shopping, entertainment, and dining scene is opening. Even before officially opening, The Royalmount Shopping Center has been creating all sorts of buzz! What makes this new shopping hub so exciting?
Spanning 824,000 sq ft of space, it is going to have the highest concentration of international luxury flagship stores in all of Quebec! If you’re curious as to which stores will now be available, keep reading! (Just wait until you read about all of the food and art offerings too!)
If you were to ask anyone who is involved in turning the concept of The Royalmount into a reality what is driving them, you would be told innovation and human connection.
One of its lead investors Andrew Luffy, has stated, “We can’t wait for the doors to be open at Royalmount and are thrilled to welcome our first visitors. The vision for Royalmount has always been to foster human connections, create a center of community, and usher in a new era of inclusive luxury for the city. Over the coming weeks, we will welcome new brands, restaurants, and concepts, making Royalmount one of the most exciting places to visit in Montreal for all generations.”
You may be wondering, “How can this be accomplished just by opening a few stores?”. Let’s be clear- this is a shopping center that provides much more than “just” a shopping experience. This is largely in part to the numerous restaurants, the public art trail, and the urban park “Le Champ Libre™” which are also featured.
For the time being, over 50 of the stores that are included in the first phase of the development will be opening on Thursday. The rest of the stores are set to open over the next 10 months. In the end, more than 170 boutiques which include local and international brands and 60 restaurants/cafes will be available under one roof.
This includes:
A&W
Accessoires Gio
AllTrueist
Aldo
Alo Yoga
Anine Bing
Arc’teryx
Bikini Village
Birks
BMO
Browns
Canada Goose
Christofle
Coach
David’s Tea
David Yurman
Dolce Vita
Dynamite
Garage
Greiche & Scaff
Gucci
IWC
Jack & Jones
Jimmy Choo
Judith & Charles
Jugo Juice
L’Occitane
La Vie en Rose
Le Fou Fou
Longchamp
Louis Vuitton
M/2
Mackage
Maison Monaco
Maje
Marie Saint Pierre
Mango
Michael Kors
Moments Intimes
Moncler
Montblanc
Nike
Olivier Peoples
Omega
Pilgrim
Qwelli
Rennaï
RH
Rolex (The largest boutique in Canada!)
Saint Laurent
Sandro
Sephora
Sports Experts
Starbucks
Steel N Ink
Steve Madden
Sunglass Hut
Swarovski
TAG Heuer
Tiffany and Co.
Time Vallée (First time in Canada!)
Tris Coffin
Tudor
Uniqlo
Veronica Beard
Versace
Yves Rocher
Zara
Many of these stores will be entirely new to Montreal. Needless to say, this is very exciting! When it is said that there is a store for everyone regardless of their fashion taste and style, we mean it.
Food
Shopping is one way to work up an appetite! Luckily, there will be more than enough options available to satiate any cravings. As we previously mentioned, there will be over 60 restaurants and cafés to choose from.
The New European food hall Le Fou Fou will offer 12 dining options, along with four bars and in-house catering. Were you a fan of Moishes? The former owner, Lenny Lighter, is back and partnering with Jonathan Dresner to offer delicious burgers and steak-frites at The Prime Bar à Boeuf.
What makes the experience even more fun, is that patrons can sit anywhere and order through the tables’ QR codes. Then, their food and bills will be brought directly to their table. Talk about service!
Art Trail
As part of a public art program launched by Royalmount, over 60 pieces of art will be seen in the year-long public art trail. This includes photos, illustrations, sculptures and murals, all curated with the help of MASSIVart.
“For the launch of the program, the participating artists, who hail from various disciplines, were asked to create a series of works specially designed for Royalmount, centered on the theme of ‘Unexpected Horizons’. Each original piece of mural, sculptural, contemporary and visual art will capture the essence of the theme in its own unique way. To further enrich the experience and keep it fresh, additional pieces will be added to the program over the years.”
So far, the trail features the works of artists such as Hanna Barczyk, Nicole Beno, Bikismo, Chiaozza, Cooke-Sasseville, Chun Hua, Catherine Dong, Collectif Escargo, Isidro Ferrer, Cristina Mejías, Drew Merritt, Zéh Palito, Matthias Pliessnig, Soft Lab and Ara Thorose. More art by local and international artists will be added as time progresses.
Eco-Community
One of the major concerns about adding a retail hub of this size to any city is the effect it will have on the environment. And, rightfully so! It is apparent that this was a concern for the developers as well:
“At Royalmount, nature is more than a backdrop—it’s woven into everything we do.”
As stated on their official website, it is one of the 100% carbon-neutral mixed-use developments in Canada. (93% is done through the energy loop powered by hydroelectricity/geothermal system and the remaining 7% is from carbon credits). On top of this:
- 450,000 CO2–absorbing trees, shrubs, plants and perennials are placed throughout the development
- 20% more green spaces than the average surrounding area thanks to sprawling forests, vertical vegetation, a linear park and green roofs
- Rainwater harvesting is done, resulting in an 86% reduction in rainwater flow discharged into municipal sewers.
Location and Accessibility
The shopping centre will be easily accessible by foot, bus, bike, car, and metro. If driving, it can be accessed from Côte-de-Liesse Rd., Décarie Blvd. and Royalmount Ave. When arriving via De La Savane metro, a 200 meter enclosed and climate-controlled skybridge will link the metro station to the mall.
Parking
Visitors can park for free for half an hour in one of approximately 4,000 parking spots (above- and below- ground, with valet parking also available). If the visitor downloads the mall’s app, they will get a bonus half hour for free. Once this time has passed, it will cost $2.50 per half hour.
A Grand Opening or A Grand Letdown?
While the success of this new shopping center is yet to be seen and it will undoubtedly be met with some criticism, the excitement surrounding its opening is undeniable. Will you be going to the initial opening? How do you feel about what it has to offer versus the potential traffic woes/environmental impact? Let Mtl365 know your thoughts by contacting us or joining the discussion on Facebook and/or Instagram
