Customers were stunned when a beloved European grocery store in Montréal-Nord recently announced on Facebook that it is closing its doors after 45 years.
Hundreds commented, saying things like “I’m at a loss for words” and “so sad.”
But, as Charcuterie Noël owner Roberto Natale points out in his post, “The time has come to close the chapter.”
Natale soon received a call from the mayor of the Montréal-Nord borough, Christine Black.
“She told us we created a real tsunami,” he said in an interview with Radio-Canada.
The store has long offered a slice of Italy on Léger Boulevard: cold pizza, deli meats, sausages, wedges of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and paninis. The store’s bakery serves up large loaves of Italian bread, and it was always stocked with low-priced fruits and vegetables.
“It saddens me. I’ve been coming here for 40 years,” lamented Joseph Malorni, a resident of Laval, Que.
Regardless, Natale said he had no choice. He decided to close permanently at the end of September, resulting in about 30 layoffs.
“We noticed a decline in revenue over the last two or three years, between 10 and 15 per cent,” he said. “At some point, enough is enough.”
Owner worked more to reduce costs
To reduce costs, he said he worked countless hours for many years. He restocked products, talked to customers, managed staff and handled the accounting.
“If we want to be quality operators, we have to be here every day. It’s very demanding,” Natale said.
Behind him, at the meat counter, is his father, Salvatore Natale. He founded the business in 1979. Seven days a week, the 78-year-old is still present.
“I take great pride in it. To hold on for 45 years, especially with all the stores that have come around, is quite an achievement considering the sacrifices we made,” he said.
But, he admitted, it is time to say goodbye.
“We could have continued, but it’s too hard. It’s dreadful. I work seven days to save a salary, to save money. We can’t do that forever,” said Salvatore Natale.
When business was booming in the 1980s and 90s, Charcuterie Noël expanded four times. Roberto, then 10, used to sweep the floors to help his father.
“Steinberg sent a team of employees to see how we worked. They came every week!” Salvatore Natale said, referring to the former Canadian supermarket chain.
He said his son has the business in his blood, but in recent years, competition from major food companies has hurt the small business.
“Costco is very competitive,” said Roberto Natale. “We can’t deny that. It’s a big player, and the local small businesses suffer. Even if I have the same price or a better price, in people’s minds, we’re more expensive than elsewhere.”
Customer habits have changed, expert says
After the pandemic, inflation set in, and customers began to abandon the store, he said. The customer loyalty experienced in the ’80s and ’90s “is dead. It no longer exists,” he said.
Jacques Nantel, emeritus professor at the business school HEC Montréal, said consumer habits have changed.
“They have shifted from specialty stores to traditional ones, like Metro and IGA. Then, some have moved from traditional stores to discount banners like Super C and Maxi. We also see a shift toward Walmart, Costco and even Dollarama,” said Nantel.
François Vincent, vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s Quebec chapter, said the closures of small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) is not due to mismanagement.
“We have never historically had as many costs for entrepreneurs: labour, raw materials, borrowing and energy costs,” he said.
At the same time, SMEs are facing insufficient demand and a loss of revenue, he said.
“It doesn’t take a doctorate in mathematics or economics to understand that the current equation doesn’t work. We need to help our SMEs have some breathing room,” he said.
In the meantime, Roberto Natale is trying to sell the land and the building, while his employees hope he can find a buyer who wants to keep the business alive.
“It really hurts me what’s happening,” said a teary-eyed Manon Delisio, who has worked at Charcuterie Noël for 28 years. “It was like a family here. I truly hope we find a buyer.”