Founded in 1867, Jean-Baptiste Laliberté’s store originally specialized in furs. It moved to the corner of Saint-Joseph and De la Chapelle streets around 1874. The department store concept that arrived in the second half of the 19th century influenced Laliberté’s product offering. The goods sold by its main competitors, the Pollack, Compagnie Paquet and Syndicat stores, also had an effect.