The 9 oldest entrepreneurial families of Laval-Ouest | Vaillancourt et Ass.

December 27th 2016 By Chantal Vaillancourt

When the formula works, businesses can last decades and over several generation. Could you name 9 old businesses in Laval-Ouest?.

So a lot of people I talk to think that businesses don’t do so well in Laval-Ouest. And I get it, we see burger joints open and close all the time, we see or know of changes in administrations. But sadly some businesses just simply close shop because the owner is getting too old and has nobody to take over.

BUT, know that several businesses have thrived in Laval-Ouest over several decades and over more than one generation. Here are the nine of the oldest families still in business today:

1. Beaudoin – 1976
You may have rented or repaired a tool at Beaudoin? This shop was founded by Robert Beaudoin in 1976 after having worked in the car selling business with his brother Normand Beaudoin. Maybe you remember a Volvo-Bombardier dealership that eventually became a Datsun dealership between the years 1966-1979? Today Robert still works with his son Pierre and even a third generation working part time.

2. Carbonneau – 1970
Pharmacist Pierre Carbonneau started in Laval-Ouest at the Pharmacie Morand on Ste-Rose in 1970. 5 years later, he partners up with competitor Pharmacie Potvin and a couple doctors to open up a medical Clinique just a few doors down. In 1988, this clinic became the Jean-Coutu Clinique which just closed a few years ago.

In 1998, M. Carbonneau opened a pharmacy that we know today as the Jean-Coutu pharmacy. Today it’s his son, Nicolas who is the owner.

3. Breton – 1963
The Breton family started in Laval-Ouest in 1963 with a BA gas station (today Mr Muffler), followed by a Texaco (Today Tim Hortons). In 68 he moved to where the IGA parking is today. Maybe you rember a Calex gas station and a Handy Andy hardware store? In 1970, M. Breton acquired the location he has today which included a BP gas station. So maybe you are thinking there were a lot of gas stations here in the 70ees? I’m told there were over 15! The old timers love playing a game of “list all the gas stations you remember” I noticed.

In the 90ees, M. Breton droped the gas business and continued the car parts and accessories business, and of course the car repair garage business. Jean-Guy Breton and his wife Lucille just can’t stay away from their family business. They are up in their seventees now but chances are if you go to Breton, one of them will be there working away along with 4 of their sons.

4. Demers – 1957
Maybe you’ve noticed something goes on behind the Metro? Lucien Demers Inc. works mainly for the city doing snow removal and painting lines on the road. Yup, I guess somebody’s got to do that!

Now, how old is this business? Lucien Demers started snow removal in the area in 1957! He’s also the mastermind behind opening the Aux Vieux Barrils tavern! Today his sons manage the family business.

5. O’Brien – 1952
So there are English people too in this list. Maybe you’ve noticed the tin man hanging out on Arthur-Sauvé? Since 1952, three generations of O’Brians (James, Ken and Kelly) work in Laval-Ouest and around installing and repairing heating and ventilation systems. Now you’ve probably noticed that the store is closed, but O’Brian’s are still in full operations from their home office. Their specialty? Converting old oil furnases to electric models.

6. St-Pierre 1951
So what’s the first thing we see when we arrive in Laval-Ouest from St-Eustache? Yep, it’s the Usinage St-Pierre sign. Established since 1963 and now on the second and third generation. They do anything from welding to mechanical inventions, tool and dye stuff… really quite impressive. Technically you could say the the family business stared in 1953 since he started weighing trucks way back then for the road thaw periods.

7. Quintal – 1950…
In 1950, Irené Quintal opened his first grocery store in Laval-Ouest. Like most sons and daughters of grocers, his two sons, Henri and Yvon Quintal followed in his footsteps.
Eventually the grocery became a Metro and then now an IGA.

We now have a third generation of kids managing the store and even a fourth one working part time.

8 Bigras 1951
Bigras furniture store opened it’s doors in 1951 by Jean-Guy Bigras. I’m guessing Jean-Guy was a common name back then. Anyway, today it’s owned and managed by his two kids Pierre and Danielle Bigras.

At the same address since the beginning, they went from wringer washing machines to steam frontal washing machines to everything in the middle.
They stay in business because they offer competive prices, great quality and great customer service… something hard to find in the big box stores.

9 Cardinal – 1945
Maurice Cardinal well known for the Golf Cardinal actually started as a grocer too in 1945 on the corner of Arthur-Sauvé and Ste-Rose. In 1950 he build the oh-so nostalgic and local landmark Chateau Laval where the Jean-Coutu is today. This was a great place to stop on the long road to Ottawa where people also went to sleep, eat or social and commercial meetings. The they Chateau burnt in the 80ees, M. Cardinal built the center we now know today. It was quickly sold to Notary Taillefer, who is the same Taillefer who build and owns the Chateau Taillefer in Sainte-Dorothée. Small world eh?

Of course, his son Guy and his kids own and operate the golf Cardinal that has now been open since 1955 and is now 100% open to the public.
So there you have it. There is still hope for business owners in Laval-Ouest even if the landscape has changed a lot over the past decades. Adaptation, hard work and good family relations seems to have been the common theme with these entrepreneurial families.

So thank you for taking the time to listed to me talk 100 miles and hour, I wish I could have said so much more but gotta keep these things short. Don’t hesitate to call me if you want to chat about it or if you want to call me out for forgetting somebody. Now, if you have to buy or sell a house in the area, then for sure call us. 450-314-1992. We too, plan to stick around for a long time. Thank.