After years of development, luxury Royalmount mall opens Thursday

On Tuesday morning, the Royalmount shopping center in Montreal was still buzzing with construction activity just two days before its grand opening. Hammers, drills, and the beeping of scissor lifts filled the air as workers in hard hats and reflective vests installed piping, cleaned windows, and put up signage.

Despite the ongoing work, Andrew Lutfy, CEO of developer Carbonleo and the project's lead investor, expressed confidence that the mall will be ready for its Thursday opening. Although he acknowledged that not everything will go perfectly, Lutfy promised that the mall's workers would complete their tasks in time for the debut, marking the beginning of what could be up to 20 phases of development on the site.

“I promise you we’re going to get things wrong,” Lutfy told reporters. “Ten years ago we were doing land assembly; here we are today, opening. I promise you 10 years from now, there will be thousands of people living at Royalmount. I promise you there will be Class A office towers, thousands of workers happier than hell, going up to the roof, hopefully playing basketball before work and doing a little gym workout.”

Inside the mall, some stores, including Lutfy’s brands Garage and Dynamite, appeared ready for customers with clothing on display. Other stores such as Versace, Jimmy Choo, Mango, and Uniqlo also looked prepared, with their shelves fully stocked.

According to Lutfy, approximately 50 percent of the stores in this initial phase will open on Thursday, with the remainder scheduled to open over the next 10 months. High-end brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Yves Saint Laurent are set to open this month, while upscale home furnishings retailer RH will open next summer.

“The interesting thing and the exciting thing is every time you come back, there will always be another new reason to come back for at least the next 12 months,” Lutfy said.

Over 90 percent of the 800,000-square-foot mall has been leased, Lutfy noted, with 170 stores, including 60 cafés and restaurants.

Addressing concerns about traffic, Lutfy hopes that two-thirds of the mall’s visitors will use the métro, taking an enclosed pedestrian skywalk from de la Savane station across the Décarie Expressway.

When asked if luxury shoppers would indeed use the métro, Lutfy pointed out that Generation Z is interested in luxury goods but prefers spending on experiences over cars. “If you think about it, the customers of today and the customers of tomorrow, they’re maybe not buying the most expensive thing in the luxury store, but the majority of them are quite young and these customers don’t have cars. They don’t want cars, they’re not interested in cars,” he said.

For those who drive, the mall will be accessible from Côte-de-Liesse Rd., Décarie Blvd., and Royalmount Ave., with about 2,000 parking spots available, including valet parking. Shoppers will get the first half-hour free, and those who download the mall’s app will receive an additional half-hour free. After that, parking will cost $2.50 per half hour, with many retailers offering validation.

While Lutfy acknowledges the appeal of big-name luxury brands, he envisions the mall as "inclusive luxury," centered around a park with a winter skating rink to attract a diverse range of visitors, not just luxury shoppers. “When we talk about inclusive luxury, we really are thinking about everyone from all walks of life,” he said.

Charles de Brabant, executive director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management at McGill University, believes there is significant demand for luxury retail in the Montreal area. The city, known for its wealthy neighborhoods, luxury hotels, and international students, has been lacking in luxury mall offerings.

However, de Brabant is concerned that the mall’s initial visitors might be disappointed due to the many stores yet to open. “Everyone will be disappointed at the beginning, which I think is strongly unfair,” he said, though he praised Lutfy for bringing the project to fruition. He also noted that the mall’s location and traffic issues could impact its success.

Lutfy highlighted that the mall represents only about eight percent of the Royalmount site. Future plans include expansions, office buildings, and housing, although the latter has faced obstacles from the Town of Mount Royal, where Royalmount is situated. “I’ve come to appreciate that ‘no’ is not ‘no,’ it’s just ‘no for today.’ This project is the sum of an endless amount of noes that somewhere along the way became a ‘yes,’” he said.