I just found out that the The Bead Emporium of Montreal on Victoria has closed. Ruth Shrine far ahead of the beading boom, fell passionately in love with beads 35 years ago and opened her store. She still takes women on beading trips to Mexico each winter. Daughter Manita (who had been running the store for a few years) and a friend just opened a studio on St. Ambroise street. Beaders don’t despair, there are 4 more beading stores listed in my Smart Shopping Montreal book.

For years, those in the know slid in to the entrance at the rear of the Tyfoon building in the Blue Bonnets area to rummage the sample racks of really well known upper end branded clothing. The (mostly women) lined up for a place in the mass dressing room – because it was worth it. And it’s still worth it, for these brands in men’s women’s and kids’ clothing, shoes and accessories: south pole, Inkslingers, A.B.S., david brooks, Cezer New York, Parish, aka Stash House, triko, Coogi, Pastry, akademiks, Crown Holder, Levi’s footwear, Black Sheep, pellepelle, Marithe Francois Girbaud  and introducing European ladies’ wear of Nienhaus woman, Frank Walder and Brandtex

Location: 5540 Ferrier
Corner: Devonshire
Tel: 514-731-7070
Dates and hours: Fri Nov 28: 9-9, Sat Nov 29: 10-5, Sun Nov 30: 12-5

O.K. Kids which sells a lot of kid’s lines in sizes 0-12 is having a warehouse sale for 10 days starting tomorrow. There has to be some names you like amongst: Emporio Baby, Baby Grow, Nannette, Girls, Next, BT Kids, rumble tumble, Krickets Elite, FK, Baby Togs, petit lem, Gagou Tagou, Vitamins Baby, Bon Bebe, Gusti, Harley Davidson, Cradle Togs, Les Deux Capitaines, Genevieve Lapierrre, jo-joe Fashions and Boys Next.

Location: 270 Benjamin Hudon, Ville St-Laurent
corner: Deslauriers
Tel: 514-332-KIDS (5437)
Dates: Nov 27 – Dec 7
Hours: Mon & Tues 9-6, Wed-Fri 9-8, Sat 9-5
www.okkids.com

If any of you enjoyed shopping at the awesome gift store, Le Panier, (use to be called La Premiere Compagnie de Panier) in Pointe Claire Village (which won the award for best gift store in all of Canada), you should know that there it spawned another spinoff. Hope Milner was the tour de force of that operation and she has a daughter who started the Sassy Sam line while she was only 11 years old (and was lucky to be able to sell it at Mom’s store). Sassy Sam started with doggy cookies, went on to charm bracelets and now sells fashion accessories across Canada. This week the Sassy Sam line is selling off all of the samples, overstocks and liquidated items just in time for holiday shopping. The shawls, bracelets, necklaces, wallets, belts, hats, watches, computer bags, t-shirts and purses are all 50% to 90% off. Don’t miss the $1 bins in the right rear. Bring cash only. Don’t be surprised if you see Hope helping out there.

Location: 218 boul. Brunswick, enter at back door
corner: Ellingham
Dates and times: Wed Nov 26, Thurs Nov 27, Fri Nov 28: 10-7; Sat Nov 29 9-4

Starting December 1st many of the large malls will begin their open-in-the-evenings from Monday to Friday until 9 pm. Beginning December 3rd, the downtown stores will do the same. You can even get a bit of a deal on parking downtown. Participating lots will charge a $5 evening and weekend rate – look for the yellow “P $5″ rate signs.

Those of you with nimble quilting fingers or ones looking for lovely cottons, Quilte Classique is moving down the street (to #77A) and has a deal to offer you . In order for them to have to move a lot less stock, they are taking off 25%-50% on all prices in the store. Yes, you can get your 100% cotton here, and also your thread, hoops, stencils, batting, books and patterns. You can sign up for one of the fifteen different kinds of classes, which usually run from Jan-May and then again from Sept-Dec. Classes cost from $30 to $100 just for the instruction, and then double that for all of your supplies, but just think of all the therapeutic value you will receive from your quilting group and your busy fingers.

Old Location for Sale: 63D Donegani, Dorval
Corner: King St.
Tel:514-630-8885 Dates: Nov 29-Dec 27
Hours: Mon-Sat 10-5
www.quilteclassique.ca

This business started out with friendly neighbourhood stores which have deals on men’s clothes, some with well-known names. To help you stretch your dollars in the possibly belt-tightening days ahead, they have thoughtfully opened up a liquidation warehouse for men where prices are ever better than we are used to in their shops. Suit prices start at an unreal $95 and 100% wool ones start at $145. Pants (100% wool) are only $35, dress and casual shirts can be $19 and European dress and casual shirts are priced at $39.
In their regular stores, helpful salesmen will find you pants (to 50) and shirts (to 5XL) starting at $25, suits (to 56) at $175 – $795, sports jackets $175 & up, sweaters, jackets and free on the spot alterations. There are also made-to-measure suits and shirts, and some suits for athletically built men. Ask about tuxedos and rentals, and if you need them, boys’ suits in sizes 4-20. Locations: 619 boul. Rene-Levesque (514-877-9888); 3240 boul. St-Martin o. (450-978-9661); 900 boul. Decarie, Ville St-Laurent (514-744-0985)

Location (warehouse store): 1880 boul. St-Martin o., Laval
Corner: boul. Le Corbusier
Tel: 450-688-3636
Hours: Regular plus Sun 11-5
www.jaf.ca

You too can set up a Tahiti getaway in your home with the help of this creative company, using three types of artificial trees – plastic trunks, imported natural trunks with fabric foliage or naturally preserved species. They will make it up to your specifications in size, colour and even direction, or you can buy anything off the floor and do it yourself. Nowadays you can also find many kinds of plant and home decor including natural forest products, bamboo, silk flowers, bonsai, lots of furniture, vases, gnarled wood, giant pots. Right now they are having their annual warehouse clearance sale where you can save up to 80% off.

Location: 1250 Beaulac, Ville St-Laurent
Corner: Cote-Vertu
Tel: 514-956-9856
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Fri 10-9, Sat & Sun 10-5
www. calfolia.com

It is rare in my 23 years of consumer writing to ever hear about sales of postal products. Pharmaprix is offering permanent priced (no amount on them, you can use them even if the price goes up) flag stamps. Each person is limited to 4 10/stamp packs at 10% off. (It doesn’t say you can’t get back on another line or go another day!). Perfect timing for sending out holiday cards or gifts. Evey little bit helps.

Marltech, a clothing industry company, has already felt the pinch of the economy. They will be clearing out all of their merchandise and closing their doors. We are being offered their goodies at greatly reduced prices:

Ski suits and snow mobile suits, winter jackets, snow pants, ski gloves ($5.00 a pair) for the whole family
Dickies ladies clothing at $5-$15 apiece
Neptune Zoo babies/kids t-shirts at 3/$12.99
Aurea and Aureus ladies and men’s golf apparel (shirts, pants,wind jackets,etc…)…perhaps for a trip down south?

Location: 2580 boul. Daniel-Johnson, Laval
Next to Globo and across from Carrefour Laval
Dates: Mon Nov 24th – Sun Nov 30th
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Fri 10-9, Sat 10-5, Sun 11-5