Montreal now has the first stand alone full line Calvin Klein store in Canada.  Surprise, it’s not on Ste-Catherine St. but in the Marche Centrale big box store area. So expect to find the full lines of jeans, sportswear, outerwear, underwear and accessories. Don’t expect the Calvin Klein Collection (black label runway line) or the ck Calvin Klein (grey label).

The 6,400 sq. ft. white shop is the perfect back drop for Klein’s neutrals – grays, blacks, taupe, beige simple, slim, classic lines. Prices start at $24.99 but shoot up to the $600 range. Expect to spend in the hundreds per piece.

Location: 999 C5 Rue Marche Centrale
corner: l’Acadie Blvd
Tel: 514-387-3428
www.calvinklein.com

This is the place in town for discounts of about 60% on famous name brand snow-wear ( you may find Gusti, Innsbruck,  Deux par Deux, Louis Garneau, Conifère, Ripzone, Powder Room, Below Zero, Nano, Nuovo & Liquid Boardwear), mostly for children.

Teens and adults can buy downhill and cross country skiwear (Liquid, Ripzone, O’Neil, Sun Ice, Misty Mountain, Killtech, Powder Room and Below Zero) winter outerwear and snowboarding clothing. Besides the suits, there are Kamik boots, hats, underwear, socks, goggles and gloves.

There’s some liquidation on last year’s snowsuits at great prices. Hope there’s still some left for you. Please note that they have moved around the corner to Louvain St.

Expect to friendly and knowledgeable sales help even with competitive warehouse pricing! The Brador guarantee includes a replacement if you are not happy.

Location: 350 Louvain o. suite 133
corner: Meilleur
Hours: Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 10-4 (Aug-Mar)
www.bradorhiver.com

Owner Rochelle Wang sells sample designer dresses (Diane von Furstenburg, Karen Millen, Fifilles, Jacobs, Kate Spade New York, Catherine Malandrino, Temperley London, Laundry) from connections with manufacturers in Hong Kong, Paris and Italy.

Only 4 frocks ($129-$269) of each style are purchased (sizes 00-12) and you are paying about 30% of what it would be elsewhere. Custom orders and private appointments are available.

For winter, there are some down coats in sizes 2-8.

Go to the main page of my web site, in the upper left hand corner, click on Clothing, and then scroll down to Women, click on Profile to see some of her styles. Tell her you read about it here.

Location: La Cathedrale, 625 Ste-Catherine St. West
corner: Union
Tel: 514-842-7974
Hours: Regular plus Sun 11-5

MDC in Ville St-Laurent is having a warehouse clearance sale where you can stock up on goodies for your kitchen. Just in time for cooler weather when you want to start cooking up a storm, you can score bakeware, cookware, cutting boards, kitchen tools, stainless steel strainers and bowls.

How about buying ahead for holiday gifts or wedding gifts?

Location: 4050 Poirier
corner: boul. Thimens
Dates and Times: Fri Oct 28: 11-7, Sat Oct 29: 8-4, Sun Oct 30: 10-3

When Blockbuster closed locations on the West Island, Bluenose bought out the entire inventories of two locations. So now you can buy those movies at deep discounts. They’re $4.99 each or 5/$19.99.

The shop also sells hockey cards and they buy coins, gold and silver.

Location: Plaza Pointe Claire, 297 boul. St-Jean
corner: Highway 20
Phone: 514-695-4313
look for them on facebook

Giggles is a full party store, costume shop and balloon center. For Halloween they have opened 3 depots just loaded to the gills with everything you could ever want to dress up or have a costume party.

In their main store there’s a pre-made loot bag service, or you can create your own from 100’s of low priced toys. Party decor and paper goods are organized by colors or themes – High School Musical, Spiderman, Dora, Cars, Hollywood, luau, casino, wedding/shower, etc., but you can still find a whoopee cushion ($1.49), a pin the tail on the donkey ($1.99), baking supplies, lots of costumes or pick letters to build your own banner. How about putting an edible photo on-a-cake or the cupcake service?

Store location: 7143 Boul. Newman, Lasalle at Senkus,
Tel: 514-363-9472
Hours: Regular plus Sun 10-5
Halloween Depot locations: Spheretech, 3500 Boul. de la Cote Vertu Tel: 514-333-8524;
D.D.O. 3391 Boul. des Sources Tel: 514-684-0808;
Lachenaie, 1236 rue Yves-Blais, Terrebonne Tel: 450-470-0666
www.giggles.ca

McGill University Book Fair has been a reader’s paradise since 1971! More books than you could ever imagine all in one place, perhaps 40,000 – paperbacks, hardcover, art, encyclopedias, children’s and more, all $.25 and up. All of the proceeds are used to support McGill scholarships. Since its inception, the Book Fair has raised over $1.5-million. In 2010, the annual Book Fair donation to the University was $75,000.

Since they no longer have a chairman and their volunteers are aging, this will be the very last one. Unless someone out there wants to take up the cause?

Redpath Hall, 3459 McTavish
corner: Sherbrooke
Tel: 514-398-6800 or 514-398-5000
Dates: October 18: 1-9;  Oct 19 &-20: 9-9
www.mcgill.ca/bookfair

Amerella makes clothing for Sears, Walmart and The Bay which cover underwear to outerwear, and even include swimwear.The company is having its  semi-annual clearance sale with clothing for the whole family.

– Firstly their Wilson brand clothing offers ergonomic designs and stain resistant, anti microbial stretchy fabrics know to be breathable, quick drying and able to wick away moisture.
– West Coast Connection is a trendy California-influenced line known for its value along with up-to-the minute youthful styles in sportswear and outerwear for the entire family.
– IB Exchange is a snazzy leather line with competitive prices. Lastly for over 25 years the Ispo name has been creating comfortable and functional outerwear lines for the family using special fabrics and treatments.

Location: 2233 rue de Aviation
Corner: Boul des Sources, Dorval
Phone: 1-800-408-1527 or (514) 683-9511
Dates and Times: Sat Oct 15 : 9-4,  Sun Oct 16: 10-3
www.amerella.com

Twenty of Canada’s well-known antique dealers will be setting up shop and showing off their treasures at the oldest market spot in Montreal, the Bonsecours Market. At the Old Montreal Antiques Show (OMAS) expect to be able to peruse jewelery, folk art, collectibles and Scandinavian, British, Italian and Canadian furniture.

There will also be an exhibition of 19th century pottery.

Location: Bonsecours Market, 350 St-Paul est
Dates: Oct 14-16

This is for the whole family: males, females and kids and it’s for clothing and accessories. Bring cash and you can scoop up these brands at this sample sale: Bench, Scotch and Soda,  Garcia  and MinkPink.

Location: 5600 Pare (parking in west lot of 5640 Pare)
corner: Devonshire
Dates: Thurs & Fri Oct 13 & 14: 9-9; Sat Oct 15: 9-5, Sun Oct 16: 10-5