Montreal Metro’s Merchandise Shop Seems Like a Much Better Experience Than D.C.’s

As one of North America’s busiest and most revered public transportation options, the Montreal Metro, or Société de transport de Montréal (STM) to Quebec residents, finds itself annually accounting for more than 400 million trips, with many of those excursions certainly serving to help riders tend to commercial pursuits. Since the system plays a big part in improving the financial welfare of many businesses, it makes perfect sense that the entity would ponder a way to draw more attention to its own identity.

So, through April 29, the underground titan is looking to soar by adding a pop-up merchandise shop to its existing promotional products efforts, joining list of transit providers that have looked to physical merchandise stores to convey pride in their operations.

Unlike the Washington, D.C. version, though, the Canadian venture into the world of pop-up shops seems to offer a much more customer-friendly shopping experience, with the MTL Blog commending the latter site’s nods to the transit system and the city at large.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BheiQt0AGii/?taken-by=stminfo

Situated at the Square-Victoria-OACI stop, which has many enticing points of interest, including the National Bank of Canada, Saint Patrick’s Basilica and Victoria Square, the space has, since the beginning of the month, hawked goods such as bags, books, cups, decals, pens and phone cases, further accentuating the Quebec city’s interest in touting the amenities of its transit-related holdings. The originators are enhancing the end-user experience with an Instagram contest, too, through which consumers can claim goodies that feature their closest or most cherished metro stop on them.

Numerous musical artists, including standouts Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, have sung of experiencing April in Paris, but the STM is looking to remind buyers that sampling the same month in Montreal is not a lackluster consolation prize. With their beloved Canadiens missing out on the National Hockey League playoffs, Montreal inhabitants could use a bit of a springtime boost, and the merchandise destination is doing its part to be a warm addition now that the rink heroes have headed home.

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced funding plans to extend the Metro, so one could presume that once the system grows, more stations will be seeking the attention that Square-Victoria-OACI is enjoying. Let the jockeying begin!