For a hundred years, H. Fisher & Fils sold sewing notions out of a narrow storefront on the Main. It closed in 2022, but almost nothing inside was touched. Now, the Museum of Jewish Montreal has reopened the shop—not as a static exhibit, but as a working archive. Visitors can explore the space as it was left by Esther Fisher, the shop’s last owner, whose memory and merchandise still haunt the drawers and shelves. Guided visits offer context on the garment district, Jewish immigration, and the legacy of small businesses that anchored the neighbourhood. Artists now use the front window as a rotating installation space, while the museum collects stories from anyone who crossed paths with the store or the industry it served. It’s less a reconstruction than a tool: a place to dig, contribute, and reflect on what working life once looked like on St-Laurent.
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