Montréal Magazine: How did a New York City high school teacher become Montreal's "smartest" shopper? Sandra Phillips: When I first moved here, I didn't have a clue as to where to shop. After looking at the high-priced merchandise in the malls, I knew from my New York City and European experiences that there had to be a better way?in factories, discount stores, places off the beaten track. While volunteering as a program co-ordinator for a women's group, I invited a lady named Nes Welham to come and speak to us about a subject that I had never heard of: Chabanel. Welham opened my eyes to the off-price shopping available in the city and I offered to help her in her research. She soon gave me the opportunity to buy the rights to her little pamphlet on the subject. I did just that, and then walked the streets of Montreal for a year turning it into a bestselling book. CJAD invited me to do call-in shows that led to a newspaper column, and that led to TV. MM: When and why did you move to Montreal? SP: I moved to Montreal in 1978 for love, and am still madly in love with my husband of all those years. MM: Is Montreal a great shopping city? How does it compare to other cities? SP: Montreal is a great shopping city for two reasons. First, it's the heart of the Canadian clothing industry, affording its citizens many opportunities to buy clothes for less. Second, because of its French face, the fashions here are more in tune with Europe than the United States, so the styles are more influenced by haute couture. It's no surprise that people dress better here, too. MM: How do you feel about the outlet-type Smart Centres we're seeing more and more around the city? SP: There are a couple of reasons I don't agree with their set-up. I don't think they're right for our climate because it's impossible in the winter to shop in them. You have two poor choices: either park your car and take your life in your hands walking across huge, icy parking lots, or go in and out of the freezing cold and keep moving your car closer to the next, big box store that you want to shop in. Also, the vehicular traffic within the areas is very scary, with cars pulling in and out of spots or stopping to pick up people, and drivers who are too busy looking for shops rather than at the other cars. Also, people have the impression that Smart Centres offer bargains. In fact, the complexes are a mix of regularly priced stores and ones that have some liquidation component. If you save 20 percent on most things that you buy, you are, in fact, giving yourself a pay raise. MM: What do you look for in a great store? Does size matter? SP: A great store will be selling the same brand-name merchandise that you can buy elsewhere for less money, all year long. On top of this benefit, the shopkeeper will give you wonderful service while saving you money at the same time. Size does not influence this at all. MM: What would you say are the keys to shopping smart? SP: Saving time and money while shopping and, obviously, knowing where to go to accomplish these goals. MM: What's the biggest mistake shoppers make? SP: Shoppers keep going back to the closest mall in their neighbourhood without looking just beyond their noses to find the deals. It takes the same amount of time to drive from one discount store to another as it does to park your car three blocks out in a mall lot, walk in, peruse a couple of blocks of mall trying to find the kinds of items you want, determine if the price is good and then comparison shop some more. Add to this, the walk all the way back out of the mall and, perhaps, looking at stores you didn't need to shop in. MM: How many stores will you visit in a year? SP: About 1,500 MM: Do you like to shop? Or are there days you just can't stand it? SP: What many people don't know is that I don't like to shop. What I like is the research of knowing. So when I do have to go out and buy something I just zoom in on the two or three stores that fill that need and know that I am getting the best deal that I can in a very efficient way. MM: Smart Shopping Montreal will be celebrating its 20th anniversary. How do you explain its continued success? SP: I'm constantly out there researching new places to shop and re-visiting the existing shops, so my book is always up-to-date and Montrealers have learned to depend on my expertise. I also work hard at letting people know that the book is still out there and is being updated regularly. Bargains cross every income barrier. Think of all those stockbrokers who are trying to save pennies on their buys every single day. If you save 20 percent on most things that you buy, you are in fact giving yourself a pay raise. Besides, when you score a really good deal, you feel like you've beaten the system. To get a copy of Smart Shopping Montreal, visit www.smartshopping.net. |
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