Our Story
Friperie Notre Dame was born out of a burning desire to reduce waste, particularly of still usable goods, across Montreal.
In 2019 our two founders, Andy Harriott and Chloé Boudreau, would drive around local neighbourhoods collecting items destined for landfill to then sell locally at garage sales, flea markets and online.
Within 6 months it became clear that a more organised effort was required to reduce waste. A local place to take items that would otherwise end up in landfill was needed, where you could also shop these same items at affordable prices in a fun environment – they had to open a thrift store!
Lachine’s rue Notre Dame was chosen as the ideal place to open up shop, owing to its central location and exciting, up-and-coming atmosphere.
In the Spring of 2020, despite the arrival of COVID, Friperie Notre Dame opened its doors to the public to an overwhelming reception.
It became immediately clear that to best respond to the community’s needs, a new, much larger space was required.
In August 2020, Friperie Notre Dame moved across the street, to a location twice it’s previous size.
A dedicated used furniture store soon followed in October 2020 in it’s original location, as well as a children’s store further down the street, the aptly-named Mini Friperie, opened in February 2021.
By the spring of 2021, with 3 stores operating within seconds walking distance from another, the team was spread thin and it was clear that a more sustainable solution was required.
So on July 10th 2021, all 3 stores were combined to create one expansive and unified 14,000 square foot Thrift Store with something for everyone, all in one place.
As for the future, who knows! But one thing is for sure, the mission to better serve local communities will not end any time soon.
