Women love the timelessness of Raffinati designs so they can keep collecting pieces to build wardrobes. The company likes to say that you can “wrap yourself in luxury” with their collection. So it is quite pleasurable when you can buy these well-made and designed garments at up to 80% off.

Raffinati has been a well-known well-made Montreal label for women’s coats, raincoats, suits and sportswear for over 30 years and they are now having a real factory sale up at their head office. You can be proud to be “shopping local” here because the clothing is manufactured here using fine fabrics imported from Belgium, France and Italy.

The elegant suits for the career women, sportswear, blazers, pants, skirts, blouses, dresses, and sweaters are available in sizes 2-18. You can even order custom-made clothing in size 0 and plus sizes

With a sense of what fashionable Montreal women love and the needs of our climate, their luxurious and stylish coats are perfect for our weather.

Location: 9200 Meilleur, suite 400
corner: Chabanel
Phone: 514-327-4477 X 226 ask for Kay; or X 230 for Dorinne – or – 514-979-4764
Dates: Feb 4-8
Times: Wed-Sun 10-5
www.raffinalla.com
Facebook:  http://on.fb.me/14CNhas

This no-fee wholesale food store is piled 20 feet high with everything you’d find in a supermarket and beyond. It stocks 4 times more selection than that famous warehouse club with more consistency and choices. See their flyer below for even better prices this week.

There’s 500 kinds of cheese, ethnic foods (Italian, Latino, Indian, Asian, Mideastern) and they import their fresh produce themselves – no middleman. They buy fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers whenever possible.

Since they are oriented for sales to restaurants, hotels and institutions, their prices have always been excellent.  It also means that you can often find select meat in the AA or sometimes AAA grades, whole filet mignons and rib roasts, pork rump and hock, homemade sausages, marinated chicken and pork, fish and seafoond.

There’s 70 varieties of olive oil, and dozens of flavorful Italian coffees and pastas. It’s fun to shop around and find items like 10 kg. Skippy peanut butter, an entire prosciutto ham or smoked meat, 15 kg honey,  3.5L bags of chocolate chips, pop-up aluminum foil sheets,  or little paper lunch bags.

Location: 5650 Boul. Metropolitan Blvd. East, St-Leonard H1S 1A7
corner: boul Lacordaire
Tel: 514-255-9330
Hours: Mon-Wed 6:45-4:30, Thurs & Fri 6:45-9 pm, Sat 6:45-4:30, Sun 9-4
www.mayrand.ca
sales@mayrand.qc.ca ou ventes@mayrand.qc.ca

Q: I am from Alberta and I work with a group that teaches at risk children to read. At home, I go, to the several Goodwill stores on a weekly basis and go through shelves of their most recently donated books. They sell their children’s books for $1.00 or less. I rarely go home empty handed and have been able to purchase great quality children’s literature in great condition.

I have literally bought thousands this way. I have been coming to Montreal for years and when I go to these shops here, I only ever find a few ratty books on their shelves. I am looking for mainly English soft cover picture books but some French is okay too. Any suggestions?

A: There is a section in my Smart Shopping Montreal book on used book shops with at least a dozen English ones and more French ones too. One that I know has lots of kid’s books is on the West Island and is called, Book Market, 3343H boul des Sources, DDO. The books are not $1 but maybe if you are buying a lot they will work with you. Second-hand (mostly clothing) chains like the Salvation Army would be: Village Valeurs or Fripe-Prix Renaissance. They have some books.

Denim Kings is a retail store which specializes in the hottest men and women’s premium denims and designer clothing at 40-70% off regular retail prices. Starting in February they are offering a last change sale with even better prices: jeans $49.99,  jackets and boots 25%-50% off,, sweaters for $19.99  t-shirts for $9.99.

For men size 28-40 and women size 23-32, you will find deals in brand names: Arctic North, Mackage,  Moose Knuckles, Pajar, Rock Revival, Diesel, Palladium, True Religion,7 for all Mankind,  D-Brand,Lucky 7, and Soia & Kyo.

Location: 8575 boul St-Laurent, Montreal QC H2P2M9
corner: du Liege
Tel: 514-750-3288
Dates: Feb 1-18
Hours: Mon-Wed 11-6, Thurs & Fri 11-8, Sat 11-5, Sun 12-5
www.denimkings.com
FB http://on.fb.me/AC1SA9

It’s the Winter Clearance Sale for Surplus which sells high end jeans brands like: Diesel, G-Star Raw, Scotch & Soda,  Lucky 7, Maison Scotch, Lucky 7 and Pearly King. Expect to pay up to 75% off during this sale.

Maison Scotch (ladies) and Scotch and Soda (men) hail from Amsterdam, so their European flair is quite evident in their styling and quality.

Location: 5168 boul St-Laurent  H2T 1R8
corner: rue Fairmont
Tel: 514-948-5005
Dates: Jan 29-Feb 1
Time: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5
http://www.surplusmtl.com/FB: www.facebook.com/surplusmtl

At Linen Depot Direct linen and home décor outlet stores you can save up to 80% on a huge range of goods from mattresses, duvets, comforters, sheet sets and pillows to towels, curtains, blinds and decorative accessories.

Now you can shop online for all of that: www.linendepotdirect.ca 

This Montreal company liquidates overstocked high quality, brand name items at rock bottom prices – and taxes are included. You will be thrilled with the low prices for brand names like Quiksilver, Sandra Venditti, Liz Claiborne, U.S. Polo, Beverly Hills Polo and Maison Condelle.

Linen Depot Direct even delivers mattresses and box springs right to your door.

Locations: 2005 rue Drummond Montreal QC H3G 1W6 (Tel: 514-963-2244) Main location
4089 boul St-Laurent Montreal QC H2X 2V5
4437 rue Wellington Verdun, Qc H4G 1W6 (Tel: 514- 419-1493)
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-7, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 10-6, Sun 11-6
www.linendepotdirect.ca 
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/14jVRfx 
E-mail: sales@linendepotdirect.com

Mega Vente d’Entrepot is a warehouse with prices are hard to beat, and there is almost always something for everyone there at prices that are generally 75%-90% off.

Prices for family clothing start at $2.85. For outdoor warmth, snowsuits (12 mos – size 18) $49 and up while adult coats are only $39. Men’s suits including a tie or belt are only $99.99. All sizes of sheet sets are going for $19.85.

There’s a coupon below. If you spend $50, you get an additional $10 off, spend $100 and its $20 or spend $200 and it’s an amazing $50 off.

They have 4 warehouses so no matter where you are in the city, you are close to their deals. Please note that the West Island location will be closing on January 25th.

Locations: 120 Boul. St. Joseph, Lachine QC H8S 2L3 (514-637-1116); St-Leonard, 8235 Boul. Langelier (514-223-0510); 3259 boul Taschereau Greenfield Park J4V 2H5 (514-226-1497); 79A boul. Brunswick, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, H9B 2J5 (this one is closing Jan 25th)
Hours: M-W 10-6, Th & F 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5
Tel: 514 -238-0705
Dates: for 1 week
www.megaventemontreal.com

Expresco specializes in creating top quality, easy to cook skewers and now they are selling more variety of frozen cooked foods. Shopping at a food wholesale outlet means you get great pricing.

Open since 1987, Expresco Foods is the leading manufacturer of meat-on-a-stick and their state-of-the-art facility ensures the strictest health standards are enforced. At this factory outlet you can also buy cooked or raw chicken breast or pork brochettes, among other meat products.

This weeks specials feature 6 Kg of grilled chicken wings for $50.

Location: 8205 Transcanadienne, VSL H4S1S4
corner: Poirier
Tel: 514-344-9499 x 270
Dates: Jan 21-24
Time: Wed-Fri 10-6, Sat 9-3
www.exprescofoods.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/11zsnnD
outlet@exprescofoods.com

Q: My mom and I are planning to visit Montreal for a girls weekend. We are hoping to do a lot of shopping but I have no idea where to take her. She is over 50 and wears a size 12p (petite). I’ve googled petite stores but I don’t want to take her in anywhere that doesn’t carry her size or isn’t age appropriate. She almost exclusively shops at Talbots. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

A: There is one store downtown Boutique Claudia in Complexe Desjardins, 150 Ste-Catherine St. Ouest (Tel: 514-282-0476) which has a good amount of petites. There are more scattered all over town in my Smart Shopping Montreal book.

If you are looking babies and kid’s clothing (0 – 12  years) in irresistibly cool looks, head right over to Faon. Prices are always reasonable here.  Right now prices are even better as they are offering 50% off. There’s still a lot of winter to go or you can stock up for next winter.

Expect wowie brands: Hatley, appaman, Petit Lem, Deux par Deux, tea, see kai run, Robeez, mayoral, noppies, Zutano

You may come across baby and kiddie accessories by: Skip Hop, Boon, 3 Sprouts, Franck & Fischer, Iplay, les portes-bébé Ergo and Chimparoo.

Faon is a family business run by the parents of three young children.  Quality and good advice is included with every purchase.

Location: 4334 rue St-Denis
corner: Marie-Anne
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 10-5
Date of Sale: starting Jan 23
Phone: 514-904-1313
www.faon.ca