Who doesn’t like a good deal? At Sim Centre de Liquidation that’s exactly what you are going to get. This is a clearance center for a huge un-nameable low “Cost” warehouse store, with discounts of 30% or more off on the already low prices, and all prices include the taxes, Wow!

There is no membership required at this liquidation center, therefore saving you even more money.

Returned items or items that just needed to be cleared out to make room for new merchandise (electronics, toys, clothing, auto, housewares, etc.) are sent to this store every week. All items are checked to make sure they work.

The friendly proprietors even keep a reservation book and will call you if an item you are looking for shows up.

It’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas, with 2 locations – Vaudreuil-Dorion & St Jerome, you will be amazed at your finds and will keep going back to check out the new arrivals and great savings.

Locations: 341 ave. Ranger, Vaudreuil – Dorion J7V 2X3 (450-424-0998) and
850 Boul. des Laurentides St. Jerome QC J7Z 4N1 (450-438-8631)
corner (Vaudreuil-Dorion): rue Chicoine
Times: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
simcentredeliquidation.ca/

For the past 30+ years, this wholesaler, manufacturer and importer has been selling off overstocked first quality products to retail customers in the know who line up to get in. They only open once a month on Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday from 8am to 3pm so take advantage on August 11 & 12 for some incredibly priced merchandise.

Stock up on Liquideco’s great savings on towels, placemats, dishcloths, tablecloths, mattress covers (3 types), pillow protectors, shower curtains, rugs, bath rug sets, etc.

This month’s great deals: assorted cushions starting at $5, curtain panels for $5, sheet sets starting at $11, 3-pce bed set for $32,  7-pce bed sets $60, or pillow protectors (standard size) 2 for $13 or mattress protectors ($11) and bathroom accessories starting at ($4).

On this weeks flyer, fill out the coupon for a drawing to be held on Monday, August 14th. You may be the winner of $50 to be used towards merchandise. Don’t forget to deposit the coupon at the cash.

Head to their warehouse sale in the east end. It will only be held for 2 days, so at these prices, make sure to stock up on extras.

Location: 8566 Boul. Pie-IX – Click for map 
corner: Boul. Robert
Dates: Aug 11 & 12
Times: Fri 10-6, Sat 8-3
www.liquideco.com

Q: I just moved to Montreal and am thinking of visiting Rue Chabanel for their upcoming Deux par Deux sale.  However, I am not sure as I don’t know how much the discounts are and if they are enough to justify the lineups/crowds, etc. Any insights would be appreciated.

A: Chabanel is open on Saturday mornings 9-1. My book has 5 pages about Chabanel with listings in suites with what you can find there. Chabanel has many showrooms open with merchandise direct from the manufacturer or importer. “Open to the Public” is very much alive either on Saturday mornings or certain hours during the week. You will find some of the same first quality merchandise as in stores or boutiques in town. Don’t be shy – everyone knows and everyone goes.

Here are  A Few Tips To Guide You:

1) Know Your Retail Price. The discounts can be outstanding (up to 90%), but these days some outlets, especially retail-like ones in the Chabanel buildings, may have the same price as a discount store where you have better service, choice of hours, exchange policies, etc.

2) Dress for easy try-ons. The dressing room may be a bathroom, behind a curtain or a communal area.

3) Check out the entire showroom before zooming in on one rack. Often parts of a set may be separated. Make sure tops and bottoms of a set are the same size and dye lot.

4) Go by eye where size is concerned. Sizes can occasionally be inconsistently marked, especially if it’s a sample or a second. If it looks right, try it on.

5) Don’t be put off by a ripped seam – the repair, even if you can’t do it yourself, is often a lot less than the money you’re saving. Do, however, check carefully for: snaps that snap, cuffs that are the right side around, centered collars, working zippers, holes in knits, etc. You should, with a practiced eye, be able to run over a piece in 20 seconds.

6) Be prepared to buy immediately if something strikes you. Successful shopping is partly luck; Pounce on a find before someone else does as it probably won’t be there if you go back.

7) Bring cash. Don’t be afraid to bargain, especially if you’re buying a few things in one spot.

Does it matter where in the city you go to look at the sales?

When thinking of attending garage sales, you should keep in mind what it is you are looking for, and that might determine what part of the city you should be shopping in. If you need to stock up on children’s strollers, bikes, toys, etc., then you should be looking at younger neighborhoods like Kirkland or Dollard des Ormeaux in the West Island. If it’s collectibles, accent pieces of furniture, silverplate, etc., then you should look toward the older neighborhoods like Westmount, Baie D’Urfe or Notre Dame de Grace, where older families will be cleaning out attics and basements full of years of accumulated goods. If you look in the Saturday classifieds of the Gazette, there is a garage sale column. Take out a map and plan it all out ahead of time so you won’t be doubling back and forth during the day.

How should you prepare yourself to go?

Since you’re going to be negotiating prices, dress down to fit the part. If you look too prosperous, the price will just go up.
As you’ll probably be out all day, pack a  lunch to eat during your travels. This way you won’t get hungry and go looking for fast food. If you sit down, your get up and go may get up and go.

The big embarrassment – do we have to bargain?

Bring your cash in small bills and coins, as it is easier to bargain with. The people running the sales may not have change of a twenty-dollar bill. If you just hand them exactly what you want to spend, it’s an easier way of bargaining.
To start the negotiating process, don’t ask for each price as you find things. After you are done gathering all the stuff together that you want to buy, present it to them. Offer anywhere from 30% to 50% less than what it all adds up to. Don’t be surprised if some people do not want to bargain. It is usually the sport at garage sales and is expected, but some people are uncomfortable. A usual pattern is to offer half of the total and settle on three-quarters.

Is it a good idea to take the whole family, the kids too?

Garage sales are good family outings. You can take kids along and give them a few quarters or loonies, and they can shop for little toys at each place, which will keep them very busy and leave you alone to do your perusing. It will not cost very much, and they will keep busy playing with their new things.

These sales are a good place for Dad to stock up on tools for his workshop. So many men collect tools that they rarely get to use, so when they finally decide to clear them out, you can get great prices on them. However, please make sure to try out everything that is electric to make sure it works. Ask for a place to plug the item in and try it out – there are no returns at garage sales.

What do you do if you find a big item like a sofa?

If you buy any big items – sofas, washing machines, kitchen tables, bureaus, cribs, etc., make sure you have negotiated into the price who will be moving these large pieces to your house.

Best time for selection and price?

Since garage sales are usually held on Saturdays and Sundays, it is important to go early on Saturday morning to get the best selection of items. However, for the best prices, wait for Sunday afternoon. At this point most sellers are dreading lugging it all back into the house, and will be more willing to give it away for a lot less.

Linen Wars. Sheet Scuffles. Bedding Battles. The power of the pen always amazes me, and sometimes I find it a bit overwhelming how my words can shape a business venture. A few years ago, I wrote about a manufacturer which was having its first warehouse sale. This was a linen manufacturer that sold mainly to US stores.

The company had always been reluctant to sell retail, so this was a first testing of the waters. I got wind of it and wrote it up. The sale was a huge success and whetted their appetite for more. They repeated the sales, and now they have decided to open a retail store for a period – that would be Literie Liquidation, the first one below.

Now this is the interesting part. Where did they decide to open up? Just like when you go shopping for cars and there are automobile dealerships lined up in a row down one street, we have a bit of a linen quartier in Montreal, and it is around the Boul St. Laurent/Chabanel/Louvain area.

Now it gets even juicier. For a quarter of a century, there has been a “secret” Saturday linen sale on Louvain. Suddenly, this manufacturer is increasing the time it is open to the public to include Fridays. Does it have something to do with the competition around the corner in the neighborhood because…

There has been another manufacturer (Universal, Maison Condelle/Merrimack) that committed itself to running a retail store on boul. St Laurent and has obviously done well with the concept, and so now Literie Liquidation has set up shop right across the street.

Literie Liquidation, 9380 boul. St Laurent at Louvain St. Hours: Thursday and Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We have a dearth of places to get any sort of a deal on quality bedding in this city, so deals from this 59-year-old company are worth checking out. Expect to find coordinated bedroom ensembles displayed on fake beds in jacquard and sateen, etc. High end thread count sheets (sets starting at $15), pillowcases, bedspreads, duvet comforters, decorative pillows, shams and some window treatments (starting $15.99) fill out the stock. The prices range from 50% to 80% off from this season’s regular lines, as well as discounts and closeouts on samples and last year’s goods. Multi-piece sets from four to twenty pieces start at $50.99 and “ decision-in-a-bag” sheet sets start at $15. Register online for a $25 gift certificate, and sign up to be notified of the sales and for promotions and coupons. http://www.lawrencehome.com/register

Super Sale, 120 Louvain West at St. Laurent Blvd. Phone: 514-384-8290. Hours: Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. For the past twenty-six years, this bedding manufacturer has been selling off overstocked products to retail customers in the know who line up to get in. There are ads placed in local ethnic newspapers (Greek, Italian, the Metro and more) to announce the date, but you can call the number above and ask. The large warehouse space offers high thread count sheets (percale sometimes to 600!), bedspreads, comforters (twin starts at $10, queen $25), tons of comforter sets and decorative and regular pillows ($5, $7). For the rest of the house, there’s now tablecloths, shower and living room curtains (and rods), rugs and towels for kitchen and bath. While they last, there’s a clearance going on for 7-piece queen jacquard comforter sets for only $60.

Universal, 9399 St. Laurent Blvd at Louvain St. Phone: 514-383-7803. Hours: Monday to Wednesday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday and Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A major linen manufacturer has set up this space for overstocked items at rock bottom prices. In boxes neatly lined up in rows, with most prices marked, you can find: double comforters $30 or $40 for a queen, twin comforter sets (shams and cases) for $25, queen jacquard sets $70, and synthetic duvets $34.99. Other items available are curtains panels for $5 & up, mattress pads $10 -$15, $5 for decorative pillows and $3 for hand towels. Don’t forget the 10 for $10 bin with odds and ends of curtains, sheets, fabric or whatever.