Local 23 Welcomes Neon Skates

Local 23 is now home to Montreal's very first roller derby shop Neon Skates! Started by Montreal Roller Derby founder Georgia W Tush, Neon Skates openned it's doors a few weeks ago, in the back room of the store and looks amazing! They will be stocking a wide range of skates, helmets and protective gear as well as derby-worthy accesories and t-shirts. Being huge derby fans ourselves, we are thrilled to have them aboard! They are open Tuesday to Saturday noon to 6pm.

Tickle me

Tickle me - headmistress
Jillian Wood is the headmistress with a fine touch. Producing incredible feather brooches, rings, headbands and other finery, Jillian is a master mistress feather artist. Hailing from Toronto, we first came upon her accessories this Spring and were immediately head over heels for her work. And apparently Montreal loves her as much as we do. We are keeping her busy with orders for Summer as well as checking out her Fall catalogue (which looks amazing). You can see her wares on her equally beautiful website.
http://www.loveheadmistress.com/

General 54 May Day Birthday Party

You can't fight getting older. And in the case of a boutique, there's really no reason to. No crows feet. No effects of gravity. Just a string of great memories and great people! And what better reason to throw a party.

General 54 is turning 4 years old. And in celebration, we are throwing our first annual May Day party, Saturday May 1st.

This is hopefully the beginning of a new tradition, holding as we do a particular fascination with May Day. In England, it's a day of semi-sanctioned mass unrest and the day of the worker... And then, there's the pagan side... a celebration of spring with May poles and all that (Jen is building some kind of streamer contraption). Traditionally, this is a day to go a little wild, and shake off any lingering effects of winter!

The fun starts at 9:30 with another G54 first: a fashion show. We've recruited various friends, writers, artists, and neighbourhood people to be the models. Our buddies Emily and Reeana have been building props and we can't wait to see what they come up with . Should be amazing! There will be clothes taken from the G54 designer collection along with some fun L23 vintage!

Then, the boogie times start with DJ's Roxy Moron, and Dan Laflèche with live visuals by VJ wunderkind Bearmod.

And it's all happening in the prerenovated site our latest store (still to be named) situated right next to G54 at 56 St-Viateur Ouest. Right now it's just a big empty space, so there's no clothes to mess up or art to damage.. so you can feel free to really let loose.

Please come!

Stay up late!: Nuit Blanche

General 54 is participating for the first time in Montreal’s assault on the February blues, the all-night party known as “Nuit Blanche”, this year held Saturday February 27th.

Our “Nuit Blanche” event “What does not belong in a boutique” is a two parter starting at 7pm with a vernissage for Jeremy Gordaneer’s “Painting Small Things” series, a collections of 6”x8” paintings of objects like sparkplugs and metal fixtures. Later in the evening there will be a performance by Les Momies de Palerme, whose music has been described as “Vangelis on nightmare pills”. We are really looking forward to both!

As usual, there will be drinks, snacks, and other fun! More info below:

Jeremy Gordaneer: For many years the central focus in Gordaneers’s art has been exploring different ways to ground into being the idea of a continuum. The age old idea that everything is connected—that there is no space between any thing has been reinvigorated today by explorations into Quantum physics. He takes the traditional dichotomies of painting and sculpture, figure/ground, background/foreground, and subverts them in order to create an interesting new pictorial space more in keeping with the contemporary world. Beginning with painting, then moving towards a more three dimensional sculptoral approach, Gordaneer now often combines the two mediums. The inclusion of found objects gives the viewer an entry point to the work as well as calling into question scale and meaning. www.jeremygordanneer.com


Les Momies De Palerme from FIMAV site: Marie Davidson et Xarah Dion sont des filles douées dont les spectacles sont toujours surprenants, une virée dans leur monde expérimental et sonore. Spooky minimalist chamber-synthscapes that will give your brain goose bumps.

Count down to Gifty time: Candi Factory

Very sweet underpants from Toronto's The Candi Factory for sassy and even practical ladies!

These aren’t your usual ladies “delicates”. They’re made out of a kind of super-comfortable but sturdy fabric that is nearly indestructible.

They are 24$ dollars a pair which may seem a bit steep, but trust us, they last forever and are well worth the investment. We have a variety of styles in stock including a selection of ruffles, birds, and rainbows (which no butt should be without!)