New SAQ for Aylmer

Laurent Robillard-Cardinal

The Société des alcohols du Québec (SAQ) is considering opening a new outlet on Aylmer Road, between Wilfrid-Lavigne Boulevard and Grimes Road in May 2016. The intention is to replace the store presently located in the Galeries Aylmer.

The news came when the SAQ made public a call to tender in April looking for a LEED-certified space of approximately 530 square meters on Aylmer Road.

The SAQ banner at the Galeries Aylmer is a SAQ Classique. The new banner would be a SAQ Sélection 

offering clients an improved selection of wines to explore, including new finds and acclaimed wines from the Cellier space.

“Right now, the store has approximately 4 200 square feet and we are looking for 5 705 square feet”, says Mr. Dugas, a spokesperson for the SAQ. As the lease is ending soon at the Galeries, the Crown corporation is looking for a new space.

“Aylmer Road, between Wilfrid-Lavigne and Grimes is a very dynamic sector”, notes Mr. Dugas.  “We have done market studies and that sector has greatly evolved in the last years. We’ve targeted that sector because this is really the commercial sector. We also look at complementarity with other boutiques”, explains Mr. Dugas. He explains that the SAQ usually settles near supermarkets for complementarity reasons.

This may be good news for the clients but not necessarily for the entrepreneurs on rue Principale. 

According to the call for tender, the space “will need to have a 40 space parking lot, reserved for SAQ clients, in front or on the sides of the outlet if there is common parking, or 50 spaces if parking is limited to SAQ.”

The SAQ has not closed the door completely on small businesses on rue Principale. “We always have an ear for our clients. We always want to be where our clients want us to be.”

To contact the SAQ, call toll-free 1 866 873-2020.

(Translation: CB)