The MirrorARCHIVES: May 31-June 06.2007 Vol. 22 No. 49  

Consumer Madness


BEST VIDEO STORE: Boîte Noire
Best Clothing Store (New)

1. Off the Hook (1021a Ste-Catherine W., (514) 499-1021)
2. Simons (977 Ste-Catherine W.,
(514) 282 1840)
3. H&M (various locations)
4. Winners (various locations)
5. Urban Outfitters
(1250 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 874-0063)

Best Vintage Clothing Store

 1. Village des Valeurs (various locations)
2. Eva B (2013 St-Laurent, (514) 849-8246)
3. Salvation Army (various locations)
4. Local 23 (23 Bernard W., (514) 270-9333)
5. Preloved (4832 St-Laurent, (514) 499-9898)

No big changes here. Toronto’s Preloved is back in the top five after a two-year hiatus and Local 23 after a one-year break.

Best Hair Salon

1. Tonic (3613 St-Laurent, (514) 499-9494)
2. Coupe Bizarre (3770 St-Laurent, (514) 843-3433)
3. Funky Toque (3688 St-Laurent, (514) 985-2999)
4. Au Premier Experts-Cheveux Spa Urbain (5487 Monkland, (514) 489-8872)
5. Barbershop (366 Ontario E., (514) 843-6676)

Best Hair Stylist

1. Dave Landry, Funky Toque (3688 St-Laurent, (514) 985-2999)
2. Dave Devico, Queen of the World (851 Ontario E., (514) 526-7272)
3. Francis Hawkins, Nuda (1238 Greene, (514) 939-6336)
4. Rawa at Coupe Bizarre (3770 St-Laurent, (514) 843-3433)
5. Pierre, Au Premier Experts-Cheveux Spa Urbain (5487 Monkland, (514) 489-8872)

Best Tattoo Parlour

1. Adrenaline (1541 Sherbrooke W., (514) 938-8884)
2. Tatouage Artistique (823 Ontario E., (514) 529-8288)
3. Tattoomania (1615 de Maisonneuve E., (514) 525-2025)
4. Slick Styled Steel (1841 Ste-Catherine W.,(514) 842-8999)
5. Imago (158 Prince Arthur E., (514) 350-0015)

Best Tattoo Artist

1. Jeff Wiet, Adrenaline (1541 Sherbrooke W.,(514) 938-8884)
2. Arno, Imago (158 Prince-Arthur E., (514) 350-0015)
3. Eric Martinello, Adrenaline (1541 Sherbrooke W., (514) 938-8884)
4. Robin Labreche, Adrenaline (1541 Sherbrooke W., (514) 938-8884)
5. Normand, Totem et Tabou (4621 St-Laurent, (514) 849-9666)

Best Body Piercing Parlour

1. Adrenaline (1541 Sherbrooke W., (514) 938-8884)
2. Slick Styled Steel (1841 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 842-8999)
3. Studio Tatouage West (30 Rachel W., (514) 847-1111)
4. Superock (23 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 288-6225)
5. Jolly Rogers (815 de l’Eglise, Verdun, (514) 769-5720)

Best Record Store (New)

1. HMV (various locations)
2. Archambault (various locations)
3. Cheap Thrills (2044 Metcalfe, (514) 844-8988)
4. Inbeat Records (3814 St-Laurent, (514) 499-2063)
5. L’Oblique (4333 Rivard, (514) 499-1323)

Best Record Store (Used)

1. Cheap Thrills (2044 Metcalfe, (514) 844-8988)
2. L’Échange (various locations)
3. Beatnik (3770 St-Denis, (514) 842-0664)
4. Paul’s Boutique (112 Mont-Royal E., (514) 284-7773)
5. Primitive (3828 St-Denis, (514) 845-6017)

As downloading gradually derails the second-hand CD market, it’s interesting to note who’s weathering the storm with heads held high. The top two slots here go the august old-schoolers—Cheap Thrills in the west end and l’Échange in the east have been helping music fans find great music at great prices (or conversely, cover their rent cheque) for decades (the winner, Cheap Thrills, has been at it since 1971). The runners-up are all concentrated near the axis of St-Denis and Mont-Royal.

Best Stereo Store

1. Moog Audio (3828 St-Laurent, (514) 284-7434)
2. Futureshop (various locations)
3. Best Buy (various locations)
4. Centre Hi-Fi (various locations)
5. Dumoulin (various locations)

Best Musical Instrument Store

1. Steve’s (51 St-Antoine W., (514) 878-2261)
2. Moog Audio (3828 St-Laurent, (514) 284-7434)
3. Italmelodie (274 Jean-Talon E., (514) 273-3224)
4. Archambault (various locations)
5. Jimi’s Music Store (5776 Sherbrooke W., (514) 488-4207)

Best Computer Store

1. Microbytes (various locations)
2. Futureshop (various locations)
3. MDG (various locations)
4. Best Buy (various locations)
5. CompuSmart (1195 Place Phillips, (514) 398-0782)

Best Internet Service Provider

1. Bell Sympatico (bell.ca)
2. Videotron (videotron.ca)
3. VIF (vif.com)
4. Mustang (mustangtechno.com)
5. AEI (aei.ca)

No, stealing your neighbour’s wireless service does not count as an ISP, although, had it counted, it would have placed very high. Hug your neighbour!

Best Video Game Store 1. EB Games (102 Anjou, Châteauguay, (450) 699-9011)
2. Game Buzz (395 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 982-0000)
3. Futureshop (various locations)
4. Microplay (5178 Queen Mary, (514) 344-7529)
5. Best Buy (various locations)



BEST VIDEO GAME STORE:
EB Games


Best Electronics Store

1. Futureshop (various locations)
2. Moog Audio (3828 St-Laurent, (514) 284-7434)
3. Best Buy (various locations)
4. Dumoulin (various locations)
5. Centre Hi-Fi (various locations)

Best Cinema (1st Run)

1. AMC (2323 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 904-1250)
2. Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal
(977 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 866-0111)
3. Cinémas Guzzo (various locations)
4. Cinéma du Parc (3575 Parc,
(514) 281-1900)
5. Ex-Centris (3536 St-Laurent, (514) 847-2206)

Never heard of that Scotiabank theatre? That’s because it’s actually the Paramount, having undergone a corporate-sponsored name change, and one that, honestly, doesn’t quite evoke the magic of the movies.

Best Rep Cinema

1. Cinéma du Parc (3575 Parc, (514) 281-1900)
2. Ex-Centris (3536 St-Laurent, (514) 847-2206)
3. Dollar Cinema (6900 Decarie, (514) 739-0536)
4. AMC (2323 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 904-1250)
5. Cinéma Beaubien (2396 Beaubien E., (514) 721-6060)

The recently re-opened Parc is the only real rep theatre, the others being art house (Ex-Centris, Beaubien), second-run (Dollar Cinema) and first-run that books foreign and artsy fare (AMC). But in this town, we’ll take what we can get.

Best Video Store

1. Boîte Noire (various locations)
2. Blockbuster (various locations)
3. Movieland (various locations)
4. Superclub Vidéotron (various locations)
5. Avenue Video (various locations)

Always reassuring to see a local business win, as the venerable Boîte beats out the corporate competition.

Best Bookstore (Used)

1. The Word (469 Milton, (514) 845-5640)

 2. S.W. Welch (225 St-Viateur W., (514) 848-9358)
3. Cheap Thrills (2044 Metcalfe, (514) 844-8988)
4. Librairie Westcott (various locations)
5. L’Échange (various locations)

Although it migrated north to a smaller location in Mile-End about two months ago, S.W. Welch has retained its silver medal. After 15 years on the Main, the taxes and rent just got too high for the small business to manage—that’s gentrification for ya.

Best Magazine Store

1. Multimags (various locations)
2. Point Vert (4040 St-Laurent, (514) 982-9195)
3. Maison de la Presse Internationale
(various locations)
4. Chapters (various locations)
5. Mediaphile (1901 Ste-Catherine W.,
(514) 939-3676)

Best Comics Store

1. Capitaine Québec (1837 Ste-Catherine W.,
(514) 939-9970)
2. 1,000,000 Comix (3868 Jean-Talon E.,
(514) 725-1355; 1418 Pierce, (514) 989-9587)
3. Librairie Millenium (451 Marie-Anne E.,
(514) 284-0358)
4. Astro Books (1844 Ste-Catherine W.,
(514) 932-1139)
5. Komico (5218 Queen Mary, (514) 489-4009)


Best Bicycle Store

1. ABC (5584 Parc, (514) 276-1305)
2. McWhinnie Cycle (6010 Sherbrooke W., (514) 481-3113)
3. Martin Swiss (313 Victoria, (514) 488-9717)
4. Recycle Bicycle (5501 de Maisonneuve W.,(514) 486-2453)
5. SOS Vélo (2085 Bennett, (514) 251-8803)

Best Fitness Club/Gym

1. YMCA (various locations)
2. Nautilus Plus (various locations)
3. Energie Cardio (various locations)
4. Club la Cité (3575 Parc, (514) 288-8221)
5. Monster Gym (61-D Brunswick, Dollard des Ormeaux (514) 421-0014)



Best Swimming Pool

1. YMCA (various locations)
2. Olympic Stadium pool (4549 Pierre-de-Coubertin, (514) 252-4141)
3. Club la Cité (3575 Parc, (514) 288-8221)
4. Hotel de la Montagne (1430 de la Montagne, (514) 288-5656)
5. Royal Victoria Hospital pool (mountainside, behind the hospital, (514) 934-1934 ext. 34141)

Tucked away on the side of the mountain near the Royal Vic.’s P7 parking lot (by des Pins and Peel), the hospital pool has in the past been one of the less busy in the city. This year, however, the pool’s new mandate says it is only open to McGill University staff and their friends and family. You have about four weeks to make some new friends before the pool’s expected opening date (June 21).

Best Skate/Snowboard shop

1. En Equilibre (2765 de la Concorde E., Laval, (450) 661-0571)
2. Empire Sports (365 St-Antoine, Lachine, (514) 390-1212)
3. Underworld (various locations)
4. Surf 66 (1000 St-Jean, #40, Pointe-Claire, (514) 697-0366)
5. Diz (48 Westminster N., (514) 486-9123) (RIP)

Best Sports Store

1. Sports Experts (various locations)
2. Play It Again Sports (various locations)
3. Mountain Equipment Co-op (8989 de l’Acadie, (514) 788-5878)
4. Evangelista Sports (6821 St-Laurent, (514) 277-5951)
5. Athletes World (various locations)

Best Spa

1. Spa Diva (1455 Peel, (514) 985-9859)
2. Ovarium (400 Beaubien E., (514) 271-7515)
3. Tonic (3613 St-Laurent, (514) 499-9494)
4. Eastman (666 Sherbrooke W., (514) 845-8455)
5. Balnea (319 Chemin Lac Gale,
Bromont-sur-le-Lac, (450) 534-0604

Best Florist

1. Fleuriste Pourquoi Pas (3629 St-Laurent, (514) 844-3233)
2. Florateria (90 des Pins W., (514) 288-4548)
3. Westmount Florist (360 Victoria, (514) 488-9121)
4. Zen (1039 Mont Royal E., (514) 529-5365)
5. Bernard’s Flower Shoppe (1089 Bernard W., (514) 279-8596)

Best Health Food Store

1. Rachelle-Béry (various locations)
2. Tau (4238 St-Denis, (514) 843-4420)
3. Frenco (3985 St-Laurent, (514) 285-1319)
4. Bio Terre (201 St-Viateur W., (514) 278-3377)
5. Le Frigo Vert (2130 Mackay (514) 848-7586)


BEST HEALTH-FOOD STORE:
Rachelle-Béry

Best Kitsch/Antique Store

1. Monastiraki (5478 St-Laurent, (514) 278-4879)
2. Village des Valeurs (various locations)
3. Tango Martini (4500 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 937-6034)
4. Salvation Army (various locations)
5. Jack’s (1860 Amherst, (514) 596-0060)

Best Travel Agency

1. Travel Cuts/Voyages Campus (various locations)
2. Expedia (expedia.ca)
3. Go Travel (gotraveldirect.com)
4. Travelocity (travelocity.com)
5. Sears (various locations, SearsTravel.ca)

Best Veterinarian

1. Cats Montreal (1830 Sherbrooke W., (514) 939-2287)
2. Animal Health Clinic (5601 Sherbrooke W., 369-9119)
3. Westmount Animal Hospital (349 Victoria (514) 487-5300)
4. Judith Weissman, Clinique vétérinaire Plateau-Mont-Royal (127 Mont-Royal W., (514) 842-5490)
5. Clinique vétérinaire de St-Louis (3928 St-Hubert, (514) 282-1161)

Go cats, go!


BEST VETERINARIAN:
Cats Montreal
Best Sex Shop

1. Seduction (5220 Metropolitain E., (514 )593-1169)
2. Sexe Cité (1821 Ste-Catherine W., (514) 937-3678)
3. Erotim (723 Mont-Royal E., (514) 522-6969)
4. Priape (1311 Ste-Catherine E., (514) 521-8451)
5. Joytoyz.ca

There’s no shortage of them in this city, but Montrealers have continuously singled out Sexe Cité and Seduction for the top five.

Best Head Shop

1. High Times (various locations)
2. Je L’ai (159 Duluth E., (514) 284-5393)
3. Boutique Rock (5522 Sherbrooke W., (514) 481-6227)
4. Psychonaut (154 Prince Arthur, (514) 844-8998)
5. D-Tox (4255 St-Rose, Laval, (450)-962-6569)

The number of sex shops that people voted for in this category almost outnumbered the smoke shops (some hat stores made it in as well); we did not mean a place that helps you go down but rather a place that provides you with paraphernalia for getting high. Je L’ai has moved down to number two, and due to a fire, will be closed for renovations. Talk about burnin’ a joint.

Still tweaking

>> Off the Hook expands its
already maverick repertoire


BEST CLOTHING STORE (NEW): Off the Hook

by SCOTT C

Nestled in the heart of downtown Montreal, Off the Hook isn’t exactly the kind of boutique gem that you might normally find while wandering on Ste-Catherine; owners Harry & Angelo D have been growing this MTL institution since 1999 to be just a little bit more than a store. You’ll find what you need for sure, with brands like 10 Deep, Boxfresh, Lifetime and Obey, as well as limited edition kicks from Nike, Reebok, Vans, Etnies Plus and more. They also carry a wide variety of accessories, toys, books and CDs from local artists.

Notorious for bringing in clothing lines and one-time-only products that aren’t available anywhere else in the city, Off the Hook has done much to strengthen their already dedicated clientele by regularly hosting art events and in-store performances. “We’re always trying to stay one step ahead of everybody else,” explains Angelo over the phone on his way to work, “and we’re always tweaking things to give people something a little different.”

As well as opening a second-floor gallery to further accommodate art openings and installations, Off the Hook launched their new “Upperground Marketing Agency” BW (Black & White) last week, a move that will probably make things even busier than they already are. “We’ve always worked with graffiti art and artists, but we’re moving progressively, with the addition of the gallery, to show the evolution of street art in all its forms.”

With research and development trips to Japan, Sweden, Berlin and New York, you can trust that Off the Hook will always be on some concept-driven next shit. “Ultimately, we just get bored with things, which is why we’ve renovated the store four times in a year and a half, and there’s still more to come.”


MIRROR ARCHIVES » May 31 June 06 : INSIDE - COVER | ARCHIVES INDEX | CURRENT ISSUE
© Communications Gratte-Ciel Ltée 2007