The Montreal shops that'll help you actually follow through

If you've told yourself this is the year you finally become a runner, ciele is where you gear up. The Montreal-born brand started with a single cap in 2014 and has since expanded into high-performance apparel and accessories built for athletes, adventurers, and anyone drawn to movement.

Their Griffintown flagship, designed by architect David Dworkind, matches that ethos: bold, functional, effortlessly cool. Housed in a historic red-brick building, the space blends industrial grit with refined design—curved arches, herringbone oak floors, lime-plastered walls.

A gathering point with a community lounge where runners meet before and after hitting the pavement, ciele offers the gear and the community to keep you accountable and motivated.

Resolving to cycle more means keeping your bike in shape—and Lurlu Coop makes that easier than most. Operating as a cooperative repair atelier, the team mixes deep technical know-how with a strong instinct for reuse: old parts, second lives, smart fixes.

Each member brings a distinct angle, from cargo bikes and winter riding to community partnerships, but the approach stays consistent—listen first, fix carefully, explain as you go.

Beyond standard tune-ups, Lurlu puts real energy into self-repair workshops and year-round cycling services. For anyone whose resolution involves two wheels, that combination of service and education is hard to beat.

If you've decided this is the year you step into a ring, Montreal Fight Shop solves your first problem: finding proper gear without the headache. The shop exists because sourcing quality equipment in Montreal used to mean overseas orders, surprise duties, and gloves that didn't survive clinch work.

Built by fighters and coaches, it brings equipment straight from Thailand. The focus is on tools that actually get used: gloves, shin guards, shorts, and training wear chosen for durability, fit, and function.

Operating online and inside Thai Long Gym, it's a practical resource for everyone from first-day trainees to active competitors.

For those whose resolution is less about intensity and more about consistency, Studio Équilibre offers a dependable place to show up. The Mont-Royal location spans 5,000 square feet of light-filled space split into training studios, a private room for one-on-ones, and a quiet corner for wellness treatments.

Trained instructors, steady progression, and inclusive classes rooted in classic yoga traditions like Hatha, Yin, Flow, Prenatal, and Power Yoga are all on the schedule, with sessions offered mostly in French, though bilingual instructors are happy to accommodate English speakers.

If your goal is to breathe better, move more, and build a practice that sticks, this is a solid place to start.

Climbing is one of those activities that looks intimidating until you try it—and Bloc Shop's Mile-Ex location is designed to make that first step easier. Tucked between train tracks and warehouses, the space distills what climbers love into a tight, sharp setup: a classic bouldering zone anchored by the Dark Room, where holds are smaller, problems steeper, and the playlist louder.

There's a full training room, a Kilter Board for adjustable sessions, and a small café pouring espresso and natural wine. The on-site shop stocks the essentials.

Whether you're resolving to find a new way to move or looking to commit to a sport that rewards persistence, Bloc Shop offers the gear, the walls, and the community to get you started.

If your resolution involves getting into the mountains—ice climbing in the Laurentians, ski touring in the Rockies, or just spending more time outside in serious conditions—Ostrya makes gear that keeps up.

The Montreal-based mountaineering brand bridges technical performance with a progressive aesthetic, rejecting the notion that functional gear has to look like it came from a 1990s REI catalogue. Their approach emphasizes durability and confidence in the mountains, designed for people who believe the journey matters as much as the summit.

For anyone resolving to take their outdoor pursuits more seriously this year.

Resolving to cook more is easy; following through takes inspiration and know-how. Appetite for Books provides both. Set in Westmount, this boutique combines a curated selection of cookbooks with an intimate kitchen studio where food lovers can learn, taste, and explore.

Founder Jonathan Cheung, a chef with a globe-spanning culinary career, built the shop around a simple idea: sharing the joy of cooking in a welcoming, approachable setting. The shelves stock an eclectic mix, from timeless classics to niche explorations like Indigenous cuisine and global pork cookery.

In the kitchen, Cheung and guest chefs host classes designed for home cooks, teaching techniques through interactive demos paired with four-course meals.

If your resolution leans toward sustainability, Épicerie Basta offers a practical entry point. The Plateau grocery, founded by Alexandre Dufresne, opened on Rachel Street with a simple premise: make reuse normal again.

A growing share of products are sold in returnable, deposit-based containers that the store washes and puts back into circulation—the same logic as Quebec's bottle return system, applied to everyday groceries. The shelves are stocked with ready-to-eat meals, baked goods, pantry staples, cosmetics, household cleaners, beer, and wine, most of it sourced from Quebec producers.

For those resolving to make better coffee at home—or just to understand what they're drinking—the Canadian Roasting Society is a good place to start.

Co-founded by longtime coffee obsessive Andrew Kyres and Myriade owner Richard Baghdadlian, CRS launched in 2019 as a co-roasting hub for small cafés to develop and roast their own blends. It's since evolved into a multi-purpose coffee centre: part production lab, part educational space, part café (Dreamy), part creative studio.

With hundreds of thousands of pounds of beans roasted, CRS now supports a community of roasters, baristas, and coffee lovers experimenting with branding, roasting styles, and storytelling.

If your resolution is to cook with more intention—to understand why certain spices work and how to use them properly—Épices de cru is where you go. Partners Ethné and Philippe de Vienne spent decades as caterers before turning their attention fully to sourcing spices as they encountered them in markets, kitchens, and on the road.

Since opening their Jean-Talon Market shop in 2004, they've focused on terroir-driven spices and teas chosen for how they're grown, handled, and used.

Eating well doesn't have to mean cooking everything from scratch every night. Conserva, founded in 2018 by John Borros and Massimo Vincelli—both veterans of celebrated Montreal kitchens—brings chef-level quality to the convenience of a neighbourhood grocer.

The Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie shop stocks expertly prepared meats, Quebec cheeses, fresh pasta, organic produce, and an array of sauces and condiments. Sandwiches, roast chicken, and daily specials are ready to grab, alongside a thoughtful selection of local wines, beers, and ciders. A zero-waste policy and chef-driven philosophy set a high bar.

If your resolution is to read more, Pulp Books & Café makes it easy to follow through. Opened in December 2023 by experienced booksellers Alex Nierenhausen and Daphnée Anctil, this 1,200-square-foot Verdun space blends retro charm with a contemporary ethos.

Bold signage, vibrant decor inspired by 1970s Montreal, and a café serving espresso drinks invite visitors to linger, explore, and connect. The shelves stock an eclectic mix—contemporary fiction, cookbooks, graphic novels, children's literature—reflecting both the owners' passion and the tastes of the neighbourhood.

Beyond books, Pulp hosts poetry readings, book launches, and film screenings. When it's social like that, it's a good bookstore that can keep you accountable to your goals.

For readers who know what they love—romance, fantasy, stories that prioritize joy and representation—Joie de Livres is a destination. Founded by sisters Sylvie and Claire Trottier alongside a team rooted in bookselling and hospitality, this bilingual bookstore-café-bar in Mile End centres genres often dismissed elsewhere. Shelves in French and English line a deliberately maximalist room designed to be lived in, while a fully licensed café-bar supports book clubs, launches, and literary events.

If your resolution is to read more of what actually makes you happy, this is where you find it.

If this is the year you actually learn photography—or finally put that camera collecting dust to use—Gosselin has been helping Quebecers do exactly that since 1936.

What started with two brothers photographing weddings and graduations grew into a reference point for photographers, filmmakers, and image-makers across the province. Today, five locations combine retail, rentals, printing, and technical expertise under one roof.

The downtown Montreal flagship, housed in the former MusiquePlus building, turned a pop-culture landmark into a working hub for professionals. Whether you need gear, guidance, or just someone to answer questions without judgment, Gosselin is where serious image-making starts.

Journaling, planning, morning pages, or just finally writing things down—whatever your resolution involves, the right tools help. Papeterie Nota Bene has been keeping Montreal's creative crowd supplied long before "stationery nerd" became a personality type.

Owner Russell Hemsworth's shop reflects his obsession with good tools: notebooks built to last, fountain pens with actual heft, paper you don't have to pretend feels nice. Designers, writers, and students drift through for the same reason—everything here is chosen with intent. The space is bright, orderly, and surprisingly calm for a spot that draws both daily regulars and visiting collectors.

For artists, illustrators, and anyone whose resolution involves making more things by hand, Atelier Sakura offers tools you won't find elsewhere in Montreal.

What started as a passion project on the anime convention circuit has evolved into a full-fledged stationery and gift shop planted firmly in the Plateau. Founder Tiffany Gieng opened the doors in December, bringing together a tightly curated collection of Japanese stationery, art supplies, limited-run fashion, and kawaii-leaning gifts sourced from Japan and across Asia.

You'll find serious tools for manga illustrators alongside playful finds like pastel pens, washi tape, and accessories more likely seen at a Harajuku pop-up.

Some resolutions are easier to keep when you have a place to show up. Hobea is a hybrid café and creative studio operating on a flexible, community-driven model. The street level functions as a relaxed café with espresso drinks and pastries, open Wednesday through Sunday. The lower level is a rentable studio designed for workshops, yoga sessions, intimate performances, pop-ups, and small markets.

Groups can book the space for their own programming, and the team encourages proposals from anyone looking for a venue. Whether you're trying to launch a workshop series, find a yoga class that fits your schedule, or just meet people working on similar things, Hobea offers the infrastructure to make it happen.

If your resolution involves getting out of the house to work—or just finding an environment that makes productivity feel possible—Crew Collective delivers atmosphere in spades.

Located within a former Royal Bank of Canada building in Old Montreal, the space blends grandeur with contemporary functionality. Ascend the marble staircase into a room where neoclassical elegance meets startup energy: vaulted ceilings, brass chandeliers, and teleworkers improbably mixed.

Whether you need a change of scenery or a more inspiring backdrop for your ambitions, Crew Collective makes remote work feel less remote.

If this is the year you finally make your space feel like yours, Morceau offers an alternative to disposable furniture and cookie-cutter decor. This Mile End boutique-workshop, founded in 2020 by Alain and Vickie, specializes in curated 20th-century home goods that blend timeless design with modern sensibilities.

With over 15 years of expertise in furniture and lamp-making, the duo hand-restores every piece on-site—sleek Scandinavian lamps, vintage American furniture—ensuring nothing leaves without meeting their rigorous quality and safety standards. Open weekends for in-person browsing, the showroom on Saint-Urbain feels more like an art gallery than a furniture store.

For resolutions that involve furnishing a space, starting a project, or just buying less new stuff, EcoDepot Montréal rewards the willing. This 10,000-square-foot warehouse isn't your average thrift stop—it's a scavenger hunt where yesterday's castoffs become tomorrow's centrepieces. Secondhand furniture, appliances, and homewares fill most of the space, but you'll also stumble across clothing, vinyl, books, jewellery, and the occasional mystery object with no clear origin story.

Founded to divert still-useful goods from the landfill, EcoDepot runs on the belief that one person's junk really can be another's treasure. Stock is sourced from movers, clients, and junk haulers, then sifted, sorted, and often identified with the help of its social media-savvy community.

It's a haul to get there, but for DIYers, collectors, and anyone with a soft spot for the oddball, it's a trip worth taking.

If your resolution is to surround yourself with design that actually means something, Le Centerpiece is where the hunt begins. This collection of vintage treasures and collectible designs bridges eras, with each piece selected for its craftsmanship, colour, and form—postmodern icons, wrought iron antiques, and everything in between.

Beyond selling, Le Centerpiece brings design to life through furniture rentals for film shoots and events, showroom rentals for creative projects, and bespoke design services.

Small rituals add up. If your resolution is to make your space feel calmer, more intentional, or just better to come home to, SOJA&CO. offers affordable tools for the job.

Founded by Laurence Gaudreau-Pépin, the Montreal brand produces soy wax candles, diffusers, and home care products designed around clean ingredients and restraint, not excess. Scents are layered and deliberate—pine softened with spice, resin warmed by wood—developed with perfumer-grade precision rather than novelty. Everything is hand-poured in non-GMO soy wax, finished in reusable amber glass, and made without animal testing or toxic additives. It's wellness scaled for everyday life: small indulgences meant to quietly improve how a space feels.

If this is the year you finally pick up guitar, bass, drums, or whatever's been calling to you, Steve's Music Store has been helping Montrealers do exactly that since 1965. Founded by Steve Kirman, the shop became a rite of passage for generations of players—especially those who didn't fit the standard mould, from left-handed guitarists to teenagers with limited budgets and big ambitions.

Stories of custom fixes, no-questions-asked adjustments, and patient staff echo across decades. Steve's has functioned as classroom, hangout, and launchpad, proof that good service, honesty, and trust can turn a music store into a cultural institution. Whatever your skill level, this is a place that wants to help you play.