After opening its first grocery store in the Villeray – Saint-Michel – Parc-Extension borough in 2020, the Montreal-based fruit chain Fraîchement Bon is opening another one in the same neighborhood, on Jarry Street. For this second edition, the architecture and design firm Dupont Blouin – which had signed Fraîchement Bon Villeray – remains at the helm and refines its expertise in food store design, wishing to reinvent the grocery store experience.

A neighborhood grocery store in tune with its environment

For several years now, new businesses have been opening on Jarry Street, contributing to the revitalization of the neighborhood. It is in this perspective that the family business Fraîchement Bon is part of, also wishing to join the wind of freshness that the neighborhood is experiencing.

The less than 2,000 square foot space occupies the first floor of a typical Montreal red brick building dating from 1935. To highlight the art deco sculpted stone frieze and columns, the architects opted for minimal exterior signage. The aluminum door and window frames are distinguished by their minimalism and color. The forest green soberly recalls the identity of the business whose name in luminous letters is simply affixed in front of the frieze, discreetly blending with the waves.

As in the grocery store on Villeray Street, the cases of Fraîchement Bon Jarry are lit by the luminaries of Studio Botté, a local company whose creations are made from materials recovered in Montreal.

A round concept for a reinvented experience

Located just around the corner from the Jarry metro station, the grocery store enjoys a prime location. To attract passing customers, the architects have opted for an inviting design with a strong visual impact. Through the bay windows, furniture such as a large fruit tray topped by a curved light fixture, like a suspended lantern, invites us to enter. This warm element alone sums up the concept developed by the architects.

Inspired by the Freshly Good logo and the shape of the radish, the design proposes a circulation all in roundness. Instead of getting lost in the maze of aisles, the furniture in the form of a band accompanies the circuit and dresses the store: a continuous, elegant and unifying gesture that makes the movements more fluid and simplifies the experience of the route to the maximum. The 5-foot wide aisles allow for comfortable circulation and the concept of a single functional passage. The parallel plan and the attention to alignment of the elements promote a sense of visual calm.

Unlike the first grocery store concept where a huge refrigerator occupied the center, here the refrigerators were placed on the periphery and the plywood furniture is located in the heart of the fruit store, hiding the building’s support columns. The grid drawn by the 7 levels of shelves allows a quick reading of the products and contributes to the clarity and simplicity of the shopping experience.

Once again, the architects succeeded in optimizing every square foot of the store while giving a sense of visual lightness. The design highlights the delicatessen products and guides the placement habits by requiring more frequent attention and presence of the grocers in the store. A design that helps improve service, maintenance and human contact with the shopkeeper.

A clear ceramic floor brings light to the space. To face the Quebec winters and its traditional muddy snow, the tiles are covered with a custom-made carpet, matching the green of the furniture. The bright aesthetic and the accent colors contribute to the joyful atmosphere of the place.