1922-2010
Department stores
The department stores on Saint-Joseph Street in downtown Québec City were inspired by those in Paris and in the United States, in the 1850s. This brand-new concept ushered in the era of large-scale consumerism by offering a wider variety of manufactured products in a single location. The phenomenon intensified in the 1950s with the development of the suburbs and shopping malls. Three of the four flagship stores on Saint-Joseph Street—Pollack, Compagnie Paquet and Syndicat department stores—disappeared when the shopping centres arrived. Only J.-B.-Laliberté stayed open until 2020.
