Arc’teryx has opened a new 9,599-square-foot Alpha Store on Sainte-Catherine Street in downtown Montreal, marking its largest retail investment in the city since entering the market 20 years ago.
The three-level store at 1133 Sainte-Catherine Street West opened August 28, replacing the brand’s longstanding location farther west on the street. It is the second Alpha Store in Canada, following the debut of the concept on Bloor Street in Toronto in 2024.
The Montreal opening comes 20 years after Arc’teryx established its first Canadian retail store in the city. The company opened at 1515 Sainte-Catherine Street West in 2006, in what contemporary reports described as its first move into full-scale branded retail.
The new location includes an expanded ReBIRD Service Centre offering repair, resale and product-care services, a dedicated Veilance area, community space and a broader Arc’teryx assortment. The store is spread across a ground floor, mezzanine and ReBIRD level.
“Montréal holds a special place for Arc’teryx and has been part of not just our retail journey but our brand journey from the very beginning,” Delaney Schweitzer, General Manager, North America at Arc’teryx, said in announcing the opening.
Schweitzer said the new Alpha Store honours the city that welcomed Arc’teryx in 2006 and reflects the company’s longstanding relationship with Montreal.
Montreal Played an Early Role in Arc’teryx Retail
Arc’teryx was founded in North Vancouver in 1989, but when the company moved into full-scale branded retail, it chose Montreal.
The original 4,500-square-foot store opened in 2006 within Concordia University’s Engineering and Visual Arts complex on Sainte-Catherine Street West. At the time, company executives pointed to Montreal’s outdoor community and its interest in design and fashion as reasons for choosing the city.
The location also allowed the Vancouver-based company to test the concept outside its home market before expanding its company-operated store network more widely.
Montreal later became an early market for some of the community features that have become more prominent in Arc’teryx stores. The former Sainte-Catherine location included the Beta Lounge, a community space with a climbing wall and programming for the local outdoor community.
Arc’teryx has since built a substantial global retail network, with company-operated stores becoming an increasingly important part of the business.
Its Alpha format represents one of the brand’s most developed store concepts. The first Alpha Store opened at 50 Bloor Street West in Toronto in May 2024, occupying 9,274 square feet and featuring an extensive product assortment and ReBIRD services.
Alpha locations have subsequently opened in New York, including stores in SoHo and at Rockefeller Center. Montreal is the second Canadian location to receive the format.
At 9,599 square feet, the new Montreal store is slightly larger than the Toronto Bloor Alpha location. It occupies the former Michael Kors flagship at Sainte-Catherine and Stanley, moving Arc’teryx east from its longtime location near Concordia University and further into the core downtown shopping district.
Michael Kors previously occupied roughly 9,000 square feet over three levels at the address before closing the store and subsequently opening at Royalmount.
Inside Arc’teryx, multiple fitting rooms are positioned across the ground floor, mezzanine and upper level, while back-lit Jacket Bays display some of the brand’s technical outerwear. A dedicated community area will host gatherings including run clubs and climbing groups.
ReBIRD Takes Over the Third Level
A significant part of the new store is devoted to ReBIRD, Arc’teryx’s program encompassing product care, repair, trade-in and resale.
Arc’teryx says the expanded ReBIRD Service Centre represents the largest investment within the Montreal store. The space includes a dedicated repair-operator area offering full repair services, along with a permanent ReBIRD Resale section selling refurbished Arc’teryx products.
Customers can also bring eligible products to the store for assessment and trade-in. Arc’teryx provides credit equal to 30 per cent of the original manufacturer’s suggested retail price for eligible products, while complimentary technical washing is available for Gore-Tex, down insulation and softshell products. Damaged gear can be assessed by the in-house team, with repairs completed in-store where possible.
“This is an incredibly proud moment for our brand, showcasing our commitment to a community who have been with us since day one,” Dominique Showers, Vice President of ReBIRD, said in the announcement.
Showers said the investment reflects Arc’teryx’s commitment to helping Montreal customers keep their existing gear in use longer.
The third level also includes a dedicated presentation for Veilance, Arc’teryx’s urban-focused collection.
Veilance has been growing within the broader Arc’teryx business. Parent company Amer Sports reported strong double-digit growth for the line during the first quarter of 2026 and said it planned to invest in new products and expand distribution during the year.
The Montreal Veilance area takes its design cues from the city’s urban environment, according to Arc’teryx. Its presence is notable given the role Montreal’s fashion and design culture played in the company’s original decision to establish a store in the city two decades ago.
Design References Montreal and the Mountains
Arc’teryx worked with MGB Architecture and Joseph Tontodonat on the new store, using natural materials and architectural details intended to reference the brand’s mountain roots.
The interior includes warm woods, dimensional stone and Sugi Ban-inspired finishes. Angled architectural elements and integrated lighting reference mountain and skyline forms, while West Coast planting is incorporated throughout the space.
A custom vintage map of Montreal is incorporated into the store, while the Guide Table on the sales floor includes an interactive three-dimensional map of mountains and trails in the region.
Arc’teryx also salvaged climbing holds from its former Sainte-Catherine Street store and used them to create a sculptural installation in the new location. The Veilance area draws additional inspiration from Montreal’s urban environment.
The relocation comes during continued investment along Sainte-Catherine Street by retailers establishing larger and more prominent downtown stores. The move from 1515 to 1133 Sainte-Catherine shifts Arc’teryxe east from the Concordia University area to a location near Stanley Street and a dense concentration of downtown retailers.
Arc’teryx Expands Across North America
The Montreal Alpha Store is part of a broader expansion of Arc’teryx’s company-operated retail network.
The company currently lists five locations in Quebec: Sainte-Catherine Street, Royalmount, Carrefour Laval, Quartier DIX30 and Place Ste-Foy in Quebec City.
Arc’teryx has also made several significant investments elsewhere in Canada in recent years. The brand has opened in Banff and Halifax, relocated its downtown Vancouver flagship to Robson Street and opened at Oakridge Park in Vancouver, in addition to launching the Alpha format on Bloor Street in Toronto.
The expansion is expected to continue. Arc’teryx currently has 75 stores across North America, and management said during Amer Sports’ second-quarter earnings call that it believes the network could eventually reach roughly 200 locations.
Canada remains important to that strategy. Arc’teryx CEO Stuart Haselden told analysts during the earnings call that Canada is the company’s home market and has its highest level of brand awareness, providing a natural base for expansion into the United States.
Arc’teryx plans to add 30 to 35 net new stores globally in 2026. The company is also expanding categories including women’s, footwear and Veilance, adding to the assortment available within its larger stores.
