The St-Hubert du Village, on Sainte-Catherine Est, is closing its doors as four years of municipal work are planned. Owner Martin Nadeau says accessibility, the loss of the terrace and a possible drop in tourists made the decision too difficult. After 50 years in the Village, the restaurant’s history made the decision harder, but he felt the time had come to move on.
For a restaurant, four years of construction is a long time. Very long. Nadeau says the work could also have complicated deliveries and traffic, affecting service and market share. So it’s not just about fewer customers walking past the door. When running a restaurant becomes more complicated, staying can become even harder, especially when there is no clear end in sight.
What’s interesting is that Nadeau isn’t condemning the project. He believes the Village could be better and more accessible once the work is finished, with renovations and new condos. But for restaurants facing years of construction, the future can seem far away. For Montrealers, this closure simply reminds us that transforming a neighbourhood can be a good thing, but businesses still have to survive while that transformation happens. And that’s the difficult part for everyone involved.