Winter Roads Are Icy, So We Deliver

Fosetter delivers. Carmen, our owner, explains how that started and what she actually worries about when the weather turns.

How delivery started

At the hardest time for our businesses, we started doing delivery. We did delivery, then group buying, and we brought orders out to places like the West Island. That's how we managed to hold on, and for getting through, it worked out really well.

The logistics channels were also running fairly smoothly. So that got me through the hard part, the first year of the pandemic. The second year was harder to get through.

I also have my landlords to thank. When we had no money, I swallowed my pride and asked if they could lower the rent. They said, don't even mention it. You don't need to pay rent. Pay when you're open again. Pay when you have business again. So it was free rent, all the way until I had business again.

That's real human warmth. I have two landlords, and we go back many years. They watched me come to work in Chinatown and keep working hard. I've always been good to them, and they've been very good to me too. I think it goes both ways.

So I think, keep things a little simple, a little honest, and keep a good attitude. Then whatever hard times come, everyone helps us get through them together.

Before that, the tour groups

Before the pandemic we had a lot of tourists. Some tour groups would book ahead, asking when we'd be open so they could bring a group over.

We're not a big shop. But our goods are really solid, so they came in feeling very confident. Sometimes they didn't buy enough, and they'd call back and ask us to send more to their hotel. That's how it went back then.

We deliver

We have a delivery service. If there's something you want, you can reach me on WeChat or call me, and if you want it, it gets delivered.

The shop phone is (514) 861-9339.

If it's hot out and you don't want to go outside, whatever you need can come to your door.

Heat isn't the problem

Heat is not a problem. What really matters is when it's cold.

When our guy heads out with the deliveries and it's freezing, he slips. He slips!

Rather stay in when the sidewalks turn to ice? Fosetter is at 78 Rue De La Gauchetière Ouest in Montreal's Chinatown. Ask Carmen about delivery to your area.