A Montreal Market Like No Other

Cathedrals blow my mind. Museums, monuments, grand boulevards, magnificent facades…! I love the great sights of any great city. But it’s places like Segal’s Market in Montreal that really get me going: truly local, real-deal, utterly non-touristy spots that are entrenched in the day-to-day life of a neighborhood.

You won’t see the name “Segal’s” anywhere on the storefront. If you know, you know!

Segal’s is a run-down, ramshackle, century-old grocery store (épicerie) in the Plateau Mont-Royal district — right in the heart of the city. You’d probably never think to visit, and you might not even notice it if you walked right past on Boulevard Saint-Laurent.

But holy cow, what lies behind that grimy, graffitied, white brick facade! 

Just your average afternoon shopping at Segal’s.

Inside, the scene is chaos, clutter and crowded aisles as shoppers jockey for goods that are displayed in the most haphazard, we-don’t-give-a-fuck way I’ve ever seen. 

Shelves are crammed with products. Boxes are stacked all over the place. Shopping carts, filled with items for sale, are scattered everywhere you turn, nearly blocking aisles in some spots. Bread is sold right off the racks they rolled in on.

Olives are sold out of big plastic bins.

My jaw dropped when I spotted a bunch of giant black plastic trash bins filled with dried beans sold in bulk. Olives are sold out of big bins as well; grab a scooper and fill a plastic bag.

There’s a huge wooden crate full of salted cod in back of the store. You wouldn’t think there’s that much demand for slabs of dried fish, but there’s a large Portuguese population in the area and it’s a key ingredient in some dishes.

Segal’s certainly knows what its customers want. That’s why it’s been here since 1927.

A huge crate of cod in back of the store.

Throughout the store, item names and prices are handwritten on bright orange tags. The lighting is awful, ceilings low, floors filthy and scuffed... But who cares! The prices are dirt cheap and the selection of organic products, yogurt, ethnic ingredients, and specialty items is fabulous.

I didn’t get an unsanitary feeling in the store, despite the bleak environment. Maybe no one really looks behind the curtain. I found the place utterly refreshing in countless ways.

Iconic orange price tags.

Segal’s makes no effort whatsoever to be slick and modern or market and brand itself. The name of the store is nowhere to be seen on its uninviting facade. There are no shopping apps, customer cards, or discount codes. No fancy prepared foods. No self-checkout. No logo. No pretense.

Masterful merchandising. Just set it out there and it will sell.

It’s pure, unadulterated, down-and-dirty retail magnificence. “Here I am — take it or leave it!” And from the looks of it, loads of locals and students love the place and are devoted shoppers.

Segal’s is often packed with customers — and it’s a crazy scene in there with so many shoppers and carts navigating the narrow aisles. But somehow it works.

“Gastronomic Pleasures”

Next time — and every time — I’m in Montreal, I’ll be going back to Segal’s. Partly to stock up our hotel room or Airbnb, but also just to look around, marvel and smile. Because this is what visiting a city is all about.

Seek out your own “Segal’s” wherever you travel. Every city has places like this. 

If you know of any, send your suggestions to info@upperroundroad.com — I’ll share them here.

After all, castles and cathedrals are great. But cooking dinner with salt cod from a local shop? That’s even better.

Nuts sold from banana boxes on a cart in the middle of an aisle. Long Live Segal’s!