Fifty suits.
That’s how much Vincenzo Mercadante estimates he needs to sell to clear out his inventory before closing the store on Ste-Catherine Street East.
Mercadante runs Select Men’s Wear, a men’s clothing store in Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood, where he has worked as a master tailor for more than 50 years.
“My specialty is hand sewing. It is an old tailoring shop, but with good ideas,” he says.
Mercadante has been involved in the world of tailoring since he learned this trade in Italy at the age of 11. Born in the town of Vezzara, he learned to sew through practical experience and professional training.
He moved to Montreal in 1963 and began working at the store on weekends as a staff member. He eventually purchased the store and became owner in 1975.
“When I started here, I was excited,” he said, recalling the good memories he has made over the years and the close relationships he has built with his regular customers.
“Customers like me because I understand them. I listen to them,” he said.
Come on9:38Tailor Hochelaga prepares for the end of an era and the closure of his store
After decades behind the sewing machine, a tailor from Hochelaga-Maisonneuve closes his business. Vincenzo Mercadante will soon close his store called Select Mens Wear. Let’s Go researcher Sarah Jesmer paid her a visit before she closed the doors.
Now, after a few failed attempts, Mercadante is officially considering retirement. He said that once he sells the merchandise left in his apartment, he will close his doors forever.
“Nature tells us when to start and when [stop]” he said, saying he had been meaning to close for more than a year. He has slowly been breaking the news to his loyal customers.
“No one kicks me out. I can stay as long as I want, but I really want to close. It’s a tough decision.”
Make costumes, create memories.
Select Men’s Wear has been located on the corner of Théodore and Ste-Catherine East streets since 1952. The plant is divided into two sections: merchandise in the front and a workshop in the back.
In its final days, the store’s decor tells the story of decades of creation: sewing machines are grouped side by side on small tables, handmade hats atop mannequin heads, modern graphic T-shirts hang in front of classic suits and denim bags.
Mercadante even sells his old blue tandem bicycle installed in the window.
The master tailor has earned a reputation for his expertise with sizes and fabrics, but also with relationships. Over the past five decades, his store became a gathering place for families, friends and travelers.
“I have friends I never thought I would have. They come here with a smile,” he said. “They just come to say hello.”
Select Men’s Wear also became the site of an annual “friendship” festival, hosted by Mercadante. Every year a street party was held in front of the store, with a row of Fiat 500s parked outside.
Patrick Legault, general director of the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve merchants association (SDC), said he attended one of those parties about five years ago.
“[Mercadante] They brought some old Italian cars and there was an opera singer. He was serving wine to people. “It was very nice to be there.”
Legault said Mercadante’s kindness and humor will “certainly be missed,” along with the store’s traditional charm.
“There are a lot of old machines. You can feel it. We don’t have those kinds of stores anymore… That’s something that’s slowly disappearing,” he said, noting that it’s rare for a business to have a 72-year lifespan in Ste.-Catalina .
Legault said he, too, has been a customer and described Mercadante as a clothing “craftsman.”
“If you go there, it will take some measurements and do exactly the same thing,” he said. “The real deal.”
Looking for the next generation of tailors
It’s not just the remaining inventory that’s giving Mercadante pause before closing its doors. He’s looking for a way to pass on his tailoring skills to the next generation. Those skills include how to use a three-sided mirror, how to make a hat, and how to use a zipper machine.
In early December 2024, he said he posted an invitation on Facebook for students in his network to come learn the trade alongside him.
“I want them to have the feeling of meeting the public,” he said, noting that the invitation still stands.
“To be a tailor, you’re not just a tailor who sits in front of the machine and sews. To be a tailor and have a business, you need a lot of ideas,” he said. “You need younger blood.”
Mercadante said Select Men’s Wear may remain open through January while it sells the remaining merchandise, but it will continue to take customer calls long after it closes.
“I keep telling customers that I will keep the phone number open for at least a year. If they need anything, I’m there to help them. Trust me, I will.”
