Galeries de la Capitale: a new general director who “learned from the mistakes” of Galeries Gourmandes

Marie-Christine Paré becomes the first female general director of Galeries de la Capitale and claims to have “learned from the mistakes” of Galeries Gourmandes, whose last businesses closed at the turn of the new year.

M^me Paré, who until now was senior property manager, succeeds Stéphan Landry at the head of the shopping center.

With a new owner since last October, the Galeries de la Capitale have rather made the headlines in recent months due to the closures of businesses and restaurants in its food market, the Galeries Gourmandes, inaugurated with great fanfare in 2019.

“We tried something and it didn’t end well,” says M.^me Paré in interview with The Journal. “We learned from our mistakes and we are still proud to have tried it. When you’re in innovation, you have to try things, to perhaps sometimes make mistakes and learn better from our customers what works and what doesn’t work.”

A first in almost 45 years

This is the first time since the creation of the Galleries in 1981 that a woman has been at the helm. The new general director sees her appointment as an inspiration for her 11-year-old daughter.

“That [lui apprend] that she can realize her dreams and that she can push her limits,” wishes Marie-Christine Paré.

The manager believes “in the potential” of the shopping center and assures that the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic are “well behind them”. Ridership for 2024 would also be similar to that of the previous year.

“People want to touch, want to feel, want to try and come to a center to meet and have fun,” explains M^me Pare.

To show that the misfortune of some makes the happiness of others, merchants were able to take advantage of the strike at Canada Post when certain online orders could not be delivered in time for Christmas.

“Shops are showcases, but they are also the easy way out […] People came here for their holiday shopping,” explains the manager.

Without elaborating on the future projects of the new owner of the Galeries, the Ontario investment fund Primaris, M^me Paré, however, promises the announcement of “new banners”.

For his part, former general manager Stéphan Landry will become director of operations for Quebec and Eastern Ontario for Primaris. He will supervise, in addition to Galeries de la Capitale, Place du Couronne in Chicoutimi and three other shopping centers in Ontario.