This story originally appeared on Feburary 16, 2024 in URBANIA, an online magazine based in Quebec focused on pop culture and society.
Hochelaga’s Dépanneur Populaire on Ontario looks like any ordinary corner store you'd pass on a daily basis: a generic sign sponsored by a beer brand, another saying ‘ouvert’ in neon, and another advertising an ATM. Inside, you'll find the usual suspects of corner store staples, from a variety of beers to ramen, candy, chips, and cigarettes.
The Dépanneur Populaire’s been welcoming customers for about forty years to the soundtrack of humming refrigerators, but that chill is no reflection of the atmosphere inside. Every five minutes, you can hear the chime announcing a new customer. At the cash, the Loto-Québec ticket checker beeps. Unfortunately, no winner. Better luck next time.
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