At the end of each manufacturing season, every company faces the challenge of clearing out their warehouse in order to make room for the next season’s product. One of the ways to make a few bucks is to open the plant up to retail customers who bring in some nice quick cash and take out lots of the accumulated leftovers.
The kinds of businesses which do this are all over the map: chocolates, skin care products, kitchen necessities, jeans and casual clothing, sporting goods, bedding, outerwear, pianos, kids’ clothes, electric tools, boats, designer fashions, toys, golf equipment and on and on.
January
Bovet, 4475 Metropolitain Blvd.Est at Viau Blvd. Phone: 514-374-4551. Each year, in January, this well known men’s chain has a warehouse clearance sale. Sometimes you can catch their ad in the newspaper, but otherwise you might try to reach them and find out the date, or ask to be put on an e-mail list. They carry suits, overcoats, trousers, ski wear, jackets, sweaters, shirts, dressing gowns, hats, gloves, socks, ties, shoes and boots for men of all sizes, and especially big, extra-stout, tall and extra-tall.
March
Village India Collection, 642 de Courcelle St.at St. Jacques St., Suite 406, rear elevator. Phone: 514-938-8800. If you like handmade designs from India, as in tribal artifacts, beaded and embroidered scarves, cushion covers, wall hangings, traditional Indian Pichwai paintings, tribal-style jewelry, stationery, leather journals, massage oils, incense and burners, this is the place to head. Four times a year – at the end of March, June, September and November – there are warehouse sales lasting through two weekends. Wholesale prices can be expected on all of the above as well as on some antiques: shutters, hanging glass lanterns, juice presses and statues. On Saturday you may need to dial 406 to enter if the door is not open.
April
M0851, 3981 St. Laurent Blvd. at Duluth Ave. Phone: 514-842-1221. Some of you might remember the brand name Rugby; under its new moniker, you’ll find similar fashionable styling in purses and women’s (XS-L) or men’s (S-XL) clothing. They hold three-day clearance sales twice a year in April/May and perhaps October. Give them your e-mail at the sale to be notified or call the number above.
Au Coeur de la Mode. Phone: 514-270-4900. The Farha Foundation, in memory of Ron Farha, has a huge fund-raising event which is held in the Palais des Congres on a Sunday in April (This year it’s April 22), May or June and again in November (November 18th this year) from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. A $5 bill gets you in the door for great deals (50% to 90% off) on 20,000 ladies’ fashion items from about eighty different clothing companies and designers. The event raises about $150,000 a year for those with HIV and AIDS. You can get on the mailing list at the event. www.farha.qc.ca
Lawrence Home Fashions, 8655 Delmeade Rd. at Cote de Liesse Rd. Phone: 514-343-3740. www.lawrencehome.com/register/ We have a dearth of places to get any sort of a deal on high quality linens in this city, so the Spring and Fall sales at this 57-year-old company are worth checking out. Expect to find coordinated bedroom ensembles in jacquard and high end percale: sheets, pillowcases, bedspreads, comforters, decorative pillows, shams and some window treatments. They sell for 50% to 80% off of this season’s regular lines, as well as discounts and closeouts on samples and last year’s goods. You will also find some children’s sets. Sign up to be notified of the sales and for promotions and coupons.
Marcelle, 9200 Cote de Liesse Rd at 43rd Ave. Phone: 800-387-7710. www.marcelle.com Marcelle makeup and skin care products were developed for women with sensitive skin. Manufactured and designed in Quebec, the company also sells Annabelle and Caroline lines. Warehouse sales are held twice a year, one of them around the end of November and then around April. Call to get on an invitation list.
Krickets, 333 Chabanel St. West, Suite 800 at Jeanne Mance St. Phone: 514-382-5890. www.kricketsworld.com If you have young children and like this line of clothing, ask to be put on their calling list for the warehouse clearance sales that are held twice a year, in October and April, and last a whole week. You can go to www.kricketsworld.com and then to “Knews” to find out dates of sales or to add yourself to the e-mail list.
May
College Marie Victorin, 7000 Marie Victorin St., Pavillion Trieste at Albert Hudon St. Phone: 514-328-3826, ext.2378. www.collegemv.qc.ca Early May is the moment to catch the annual sale of up-to-the-minute clothing statements done by the fashion students of this college. If you want to look unique, this is a place to shop.
Dans Un Jardin, 1351 Ampere St at Mortagne St., Boucherville. Phone: 800-363-3663 or 450-449-2121. www.dansunjardin.com At the end of May, when gardens bloom, this company sheds its leftovers. All those lovely aromatic things for your bath, bedroom and body are offered at great savings. You can be put on a mailing or e-mailing list to get an invitation. On the web site you can become a VIP member and learn about special promotions.
June
Entrepot l’Elephant (Danesco), 18,111 Transcanadienne at St. Charles Blvd. Phone: 514-694-0950. The first full weekend in June from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, this importer of names you know in kitchenware (Bodum, Good Grips), housewares, giftware and gadgets opens up for great deals. These are even better than you get in their outlet store. Worth stocking up for gifts for the whole year.You can call to be placed on an e-mail list.
Black & Decker, 3061 Belanger St.East at Iberville St. Phone: 514-722-1021. Just before Father’s Day, you can stock up on power tools (saws, drills, sanders, workmates, dustbusters), appliances (coffee makers, food processors, irons, toaster ovens, mixers) or lawn and garden tools (hedge and string trimmers, lawn mowers) all made by this well-known brand. They may be factory seconds and rebuilt, but they all come with a full warranty.
Fruits & Passion, 21 Paul Gauguin St.at St-Francois Xavier St., Candiac. Phone: 450-638-2212. www.fruits-passion.com Around June each year, this maker of yummy scented products (creams, soaps, lotions, oils, etc.) for you and your home has a clearance sale. Call in May to put your name on a mailing or e-mailing list, which will enable you to receive a flyer explaining all the details of the sale and where it will be held.
August
Archambault, 500 Ste. Catherine St. East at Berri St. Phone: 514-849-6201 or 514-849-0589.
At the end of August, the pianos that were loaned to music camps in Orford and Lanaudiere are returned here for sale to the public. There are about 70 of these, which have only been used for six to eight weeks, and they are sold at 20% to 30% off.
September
Boutique de plein air Camp de Base, 173e Cartier Ave. at Highway 20, Pointe Claire. Phone: 514-630-6717. Usually the weekend after Labor Day is the moment to wait for if you are looking for a deal on a sea, lake or white water kayak or a lake or white water canoe. The water crafts (at least 150) that were used for rentals are sold off at this annual sale, along with life jackets, paddles and more. Three quarters of the stock moves out that day, and the rest piddles along till it’s all gone.
Tyfoon, 5540 Ferrier near boul. Decarie. Phone: 514-731-7070. Ladies who love labels (Northern Isles, Sigrid, Cezer New York, Miskeen Originals, David Brooks, Phat Farm, Baby Phat, Marisa Christina, Pellepelle, akademiks, Von Dutch shoes, Ferre and Versus Versace and Cavalli accessories) will enjoy this warehouse sale. Three or four times a year (September, November, April, June) at least two dozen of these labels are available in samples, ends-of-lines and seconds. Some clothes for the guys and kids can be found as well. Sign up for e-mail or snail mail list at the sale.
Orage, 619 Le Breton St. at de la Province, Longueuil. Phone: 450-646-0867. A last minute small sample sale is held for this well-made outerwear company each Spring or Fall. They do not know until about two weeks before when or if it will be held. You can leave your name with the receptionist to call you or e-mail you to find out when the next one will be held.
La Cordee, 2159 Ste. Catherine St. East at De Lorimier Ave. Phone: 514-524-1106. www.lacordee.com Rentals are offered in this sporting goods store for camping, climbing, biking, canoeing and kayaking. Once and often twice each year, in September and perhaps in Spring about April, this used equipment, still in an excellent state, is sold off at greatly reduced prices. In October they often hold a trade-in sale.
Sometimes it pays to wait for a certain time of the year to buy a product because manufacturers and distributors have “garage sales”. This is when they ( just like you and me) need to clean up all the things they have lying around. These are usually called warehouse sales, and what they sell at these events are samples or liquidated items they are no longer producing, or perhaps leftovers from last season, seconds or lines that never sold well. Whatever it is, the price is always right, because they need the stuff to walk out the door fast because their new merchandise is marching in.
October
Grande Braderie Mode Quebecoise, Marche Bonsecours, 350 St. Paul East, Old Montreal. Phone: 866-2006 ext 300 (for recorded message about sales). www.braderiedemodequebecoise.com Mark your calendars for October and April if you want to buy the creme de la creme of Quebec designers’ samples and ends of inventory at incredibly reduced prices. Women, men and children might find lines by: Marie St-Pierre, Michel Desjardins, Saatchi, Sylvie Germain, Nenufar, Envers, BodyBag, Shan, Pepin Design, Mackage, Rudsak, Dekker, Marie-Pierre Lafortune, Report Collection, Diffusion Griff, Rouzanna Design, Muse, Pur Inc, Plain Jane Couture, Dino Gaspari, Ivano Homme, Blanc Mouton, Myco Anna, Frett Design, Isabelle Elie, MSiamo, Aime Com Moi, Pierre Poisson, Lelievre and Mylne B. Sign up at their web site to be notified.
Roscan, 5850 Thimens Blvd.at Henri Bourassa Blvd. , Ville St-Laurent. Phone: 514-335-4348. www.roscan.com Here’s a treat. If you are around on the right weekend, perhaps in October and April, you can take advantage of this kitchenware warehouse sale, offering liquidation prices (as low as $.25) on cookware, bakeware, utensils and gadgets. Ask to be put on the list to be notified.
Guess/Diesel/Puma/Steve Madden, e-mail: modafashiongroup@gmail.com This company gets the clearances of these name brands and more, and holds sales throughout the year. At the Guess sale the prices were good: purses, ladies’ tops, men’s and women’s jeans for $29.99, shoes $39.99-$59.99 and there were skirts and jackets too. Get on the mailing list above and you too can know when the sales are coming up.
November
Kanuk, 485 Rachel St. East at Berri St. Phone: 514-527-4494. www.kanuk.com If you like the styling and quality workmanship of this line of outerwear, then wait for October and call to find out when in November there will be an in-house sale with leftovers from the previous year. There are also promotional prices on this year’s coats – before the season! In February there is sometimes another sale just for clearance. You can leave your e-mail address on their site or leave your name with the receptionist to be notified in advance of the sales.
December
Danawares, 7010 Cote de Liesse Rd. at Hickmore St. Phone: 514-342-5555. www.danawares.com From about the end of November to mid December, lasting for about a week to ten days, you can score some great prices on their liquidated toys and items from a handful of licensed names like Spongebob, the Simpsons, Disney, Caillou, Shrek, etc. There are some puzzles, games, tents, plush and stocking stuffers and a small wall of household gadgets. You can leave your name on the web site for notification.
Buffa, 7930 Provencher Blvd. at Jarry St., St. Leonard. Phone: 514-376-7905. www.buffabowling.com In December, this bowling equipment provider usually has a clearance sale at 10% – 70% off on duckpin and 10-pin balls, shoes (Dexter, Dynothane, EB Sport, Etonic), clothes, bowling bags, etc. Call for dates or you can get on a mailing list.
Confiserie Regal, 1645 Dagenais St., Ste.Rose. (The sales are usually held in Laval at 1755 Berlier St.) Phone: 450-628-6700. For the past thirty-five years, right before Christmas and Easter, this candy importer/distributor assists all of Santa’s and the Easter bunny’s helpers by opening up for a couple of weeks. You will find all the treats (molded chocolates, icy squares, Zero bars, cheese/jam baskets, cookies, boxed chocolates) that are needed to stuff stockings, baskets and mouths. All of you choc-aholics out there – go get um!
Fletcher Leisure, 142 Barr St. at Cote de Liesse Rd., Ville St-Laurent. Phone: 514-341-6767.
Just in time for Christmas, in December, see if you can catch the deals on golf bags (1st and 2nd quality), clubs, travel bags, golf balls, umbrellas and golf wear for men and women. Get on an e-mail or snail mail list at the sale or check your publi-sacs in December.