How Little Portugal carved out its place in the Plateau

The Home Hardware at the corner of Saint-Laurent and Rue Vallières greets passersby with a split display: on one side, a collection of seasonal building supplies, and a miniature homage to Portugal on the other.

The patriotic arrangement that extends to the store’s interior shelves, stocked with terracotta cookware and a flock of brightly painted Galo de Barcelos roosters, a symbol of good luck in Portuguese folklore. Officially named Quincaillerie Home Hardware Azores, the business reflects more than its function. Like much of the built environment along Saint-Laurent between Avenue des Pins and Marie-Anne Street, the store is part of the Plateau, but its name and imagery situate it within a cultural landscape that belongs to Little Portugal.