Merchants bid farewell to loyal customers

After almost 70 years of supplying Westmounters with tailor-made, stylish clothes, Boutique MacDonald on Victoria Avenue closed its doors for the last time today.

Owner Julia Angelina looked upset and unsettled with the thought of her store closing down for good. “My head’s not here,” she said. “I’m very upset.”

After the death of her husband, and with little knowledge of the English language, Julia stated working for the MacDonald family in 1956. She then bought the store in 1978 and kept the name Boutique MacDonald in honour of her past employer. She’s been the owner and seamstress ever since. Julia also used to be the buyer for the store, but called upon daughter Maria and daughter-in-law Dominica to help out in that department. Maria and Dominica have since been the buyers at Boutique MacDonald for the past 29 years.

The decision to close came back in February when it became clear to the three women that the rent increase became too much to afford. “We looked at a few other places in the neighborhood,” said Maria, who for the most part spoke for her saddened mother. “But it was still too expensive.”

Their sincere sadness about closing was countered with their gratefulness for the countless loyal customers they’ve had over the years, especially the local and dedicated clientele that Maria referred to as “the working woman.” Their business survived for so many years because of these working women that kept returning for the pinpoint alterations that Boutique MacDonald provided on all their garments.

It’s never a desired thought, losing something that’s been part of the community since 1941, but their support over the years have at least made everything worthwhile. Julia, Maria and Dominica want to thank their loyal customers who have been coming back for so many years.