It’s not often that Parasuco jeans opens it’s doors to a warehouse sale, so when it happens, it’s good to take advantage of it. Men and women can buy one-of-a-kind samples and more. Prices run as follows: tops are $15 and up, jeans $25 and up and jackets $35 and up. The website has a really cool page of turning photos when you go to look at the collections.

Location: 128 Deslauriers, Ville St-Laurent
corner: Benjamin Hudon
Tel: 514-334-7980 X 318
Dates and Times: Thurs & Fri Oct 23 & 24: 9-9, Sat Oct 25: 9-5; Sun Oct 26: 10-5
www.parasuco.com

Twice a year, in April and October, the Quebec fashion designers gather together to sell off all of their samples and surplus stock in a sale called “La Grande Braderie de Mode Quebecoise”. Expect to pay 50%-80% off of original prices of these original designs by Rudsak, Muse, Mackage, Report Collection, Soia & Kyo, Bodybag, Tavan & Mitto, TXT Carbon Inc, D.E.P.T., Marie Sainte-Pierre, Concubine, Iris, Extenso 14+, Lola, Envers, Gaudette Design, Eve Gravel, Colt, Station 8, Julie Bou, Matteo Mio, Myco Anna, Dino Gaspari, OCollection, Barila, JC Rags, Michel Desjardins, Virage, Pepin Design, Mylene B, Lelievre, Nenufar, Ivano Homme, Frett Design, Veronique Miljkovitch. Sylvie Germain, Genevieve Dostaler,  Blanc Mouton, Pierre Poisson, Rouzanna Design, Dinh Ba Design. Ophelie Hats, Aime Com Moi, Les Mains Folles, Veronique D’Aragaon, De Shalla, Message Factory, Virage, Fluide,  Creation Ysol, Mestiza New This Time: Annie 50, Slak

Phone: 514-866-2006 X 300.
Location: March Bonsecours, 350 rue St-Paul E, Old Montreal
Dates: Oct 23 & 24: 10-9, Oct 25 & 26: 10-5
Leave your e-mail at www.braderiedemodequebecoise.com to be notified about future sales.

One of the longest running factory sales, Krickets children’s wear is having their Fall/Winter event. Parents with their strollers line up (inside at least) down a hall for this one. As in all warehouse clearance events all sales are final. Taxes are included in the already low low prices. In sizes 3 mos. to 12 years, the brands they will offer are: Krickets (12 mos – 24 mos, 2-3X-4T), baby (3 mos-12 mos), Sleepy Bug sleepwear and Snobug snow suits.

Location: 333 Chabanel West, Suite 800
Tel: 514-382-5890
Dates and Hours: Oct 20-24: 8-5:30, Sat Oct 25th 8-2
http://kricketsworld.com

Just got a copy of the October 2008 edition of The Montrealer and found my smiling face on the cover (well of course I knew it would be there as I did the interview). Peter Kerr did an excellent job of covering my twenty-three years of book publishing of Smart Shopping Montreal and Drive I-95:Exit by Exit Info Maps History and Trivia. Those of you that want to find out the ancient history of my company will enjoy reading it. You can find it wherever they pile free newspapers, in community centers, malls, etc.

Tel: 514-369-7000
www.themontrealeronline.com

Tonight again, is one of those moments when you can listen to me live and ask those hard-to-find shopping questions. I will appear on the Peter Anthony Holder’s show Holder Overnight from 12:30 am – 1 am (that’s Tuesday early early morning). You can fire away about any subject: sales this week, where to buy a leather jacket for this nippy weather, shoe parties, where to fix a watch, buying British food. You name it and I’ll try to help you find it.

Location: CJAD 800AM
Time: 12:30-1 am
www.cjad.ca

Those in the know have been going up to Papillon Blanc at a certain time of a certain day to scoop up their deals. Nowadays they are announcing sales so the Fall/Winter sample sale is on. Women, if you know their lines of feminine, sexy, lacy, satiny tops, teddies, sweaters, and Pucci-like print dresses, this is the moment to grab them as prices will be in the $25- $65 dollar range.

Location: 7250 Mile End, suite 502
Phone: 514-276-3763
Dates: Wed, Thurs & Fri Oct 22, 23, 24: 10-8, Sat Oct 25: 10-5
http://papillonblanc.com

While it’s still nice outside, you may want to take a weekend drive to Carignan, where at the Super Marche aux Puces you can discover one of the bigger flea markets, with perhaps 500 vendors situated outdoors and indoors. The merchandise, half old and half new, consists of clothing, jewelry, collectibles, fishing gear, old LP’s, vacuums, crafts, makeup, electronics, used motors, used and new tools and tires.

Location: 2375 ch. Chambly or Route 112
Tel: 514-861-5989 or 450-658-6618
Hours: Open all year Sat & Sun 9-5

Send a personalized engraved message with the help of Plaque Impact which shows a great sense of humor on all sorts of neat gifts: salt and pepper shakers (“To a mover and a shaker”), clocks, banks, desk fans (“Thank you for doing a fantastic job” or “I’m a fan of Suzy”), vases, crumb sweepers (“Thanks for helping pick up the pieces”), visitors books, etc. Lettering can be done in Russian, Hungarian, Vietnamese, Hebrew and Yiddish, and ask about the hatch style of inscriptions, which is very elegant. There are also plaques, awards, trophies, pens, name plates, lamination, rubber stamps, framing and family trees. Bring in objects bought elsewhere (like a bat or hockey stick or sculpture) and they can personalize them too.

Location: 5795 Ave. Victoria, Snowdon
corner: Bourret 514-344-9959
Hours: Mon-Wed 10:15-5:30, Thurs 10:15-6:30, Fri 10:15-2
www.plaqueimpact.com

Reno Depot stores, Quebec’s own chain of hardware emporiums, has a great new buying deal. If you buy 12 identical items, you get the 13th FREE – on everything, all the time. There is a little bit of fine print: Layaway item and special purchase orders are not included, neither are gift cards or services like installation and cutting. However the deal can be combined with rebates, promotions, offers or discounts. There is a limit to 10 free items per transaction per customer per day. It’s only fair…

Locations: 16 stores in Quebec: Anjou, Brossard, Candiac, Gatineau, Lasalle, Laval, Marché central, Notre-Dame-De-Grâce, Pointe-Claire, Québec (Beauport), Québec, Rimouski, Rosemère, Sainte-Dorothée, Saint-Hubert, Sherbrooke
Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am-9 pm, Sat & Sun 8 am-5 pm

This is only the second time that I know of that Shermag, the famous Quebec name for quality furniture has opened its distribution center to the public. You can buy cribs and baby furniture, bedroom sets, dining room tables, chairs and credenzas, and more. The prices are up to 80% off.

Location: 795 90th Ave., LaSalle
corner: Airlie Tel: (head office 819-566-1515
Hours: Thurs & Fri 10-9; Sat & Sun 10-5
Dates: right through December
www.shermag.com