Épicerie 1668 Is About to Give NDG Sangers, Sausages, and Beer

The archetypal Montreal dépanneur has been made over lately by some intrepid types. Chefs, restaurateurs, craft beer nerds, and others have elevated what a corner store can be, beyond Loto-Québec terminals, milk, and potato chips. The latest outfit to shift the paradigm is Épicerie 1668, slated to open soon in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the former Arawak dépanneur at 5854 rue Sherbrooke Ouest. Principal Kyle Kerr (La Louisiane, Claremont Café) offered some intel on the project today: "My partner [in Épicerie 1668] is Sean Hayes. We worked together at La Louisiane. It's a dep, microbrew store, with a deli and some butchering in the back, and a dozen seats or so. Making cool sangers, sandwiches, certain sausages, a bunch of cool stuff."

History buffs take note: Kerr reported that Épicerie 1668's name refers to the year Jean Talon allegedly paved the way for New France's first brewery. He hopes to open his new business in a couple of weeks.