07-07-2025
Royalmount one year later: Has it won over Montrealers?
The Corner Booth
Royalmount is getting ready to turn one.
After opening last September to equal parts fanfare and skepticism, the megamall is settling into a groove as more and more tenants set up shop in the 800,000-square-foot space.
But has Royalmount succeeded in winning over the hearts and minds of discerning local shoppers accustomed to hitting the high-end stores downtown? And will the next phases of developing offices and housing come to fruition?
Carbonleo CEO Andrew Lutfy talked about the ups and downs of the behemoth where Highways 15 and 40 meet on this week's episode of The Corner Booth at Snowdon Deli with hosts Aaron Rand and Bill Brownstein.
'We opened with a boom,' Lutfy said. 'The first three months had an amazing amount of curiosity, the place was packed. And then I would say there was a settling down. Around November, it was a more normalized state. Since then, we've been building every single month.'
Now, Lutfy said they're taking market share from more established competitors.
'Habits are a big thing. You have to change habits.'
But Lutfy isn't immune to online chatter, either. Specifically videos of empty, cavernous corridors and parking lots. Where does the truth lie? Is Royalmount bustling or barren?
'I'm looking at these videos and this is real clickbait stuff, the person is there after hours or seven o'clock in the morning,' Lutfy said. 'I'm a marketing guy. I liked that these posts got hundreds of thousands of likes and incredible engagement. They actually went viral. ... Whether they're talking about us in a positive light or a negative light, at least they're talking about us.'
