Phillips Square across from The Bay, March 26, 2011

Just announced: The Hudson's Bay Company is going out of business, closing all but six stores.

30 December 2011, downtown Montreal

 

Restaurant Julien

The Bay in the distance

At The Bay

At The Bay

Phillips Square and The Bay on the left 

Phillips Square seen from The Bay, 26 February 2011

Photographs of Phillips Square taken from The Bay on Ste. Catherine Street on 26 February 2011.

"The square features a bronze monument of King Edward VII, who ruled from 1901 to 1910. He visited Montreal in 1860, while he was still the Prince of Wales, and opened the Victoria Bridge. The statue was designed by Louis-Philippe Hébert and was erected in 1914. The four allegorical figures at the base of the monument represent Peace, the Four Founding Nations, Abundance, and Liberty." From Wikipedia.

St. James United Church in downtown Montreal

Just a few blocks east of Phillips Square, adjacent to Ste. Catherine Street, where Morgan's Department Store (now The Bay) was located, you will find the prestigious Saint James United Church, pictured below. For many years the front of the church was lost to view when buildings for stores were constructed here; however, a few years ago these buildings were demolished so that the original front of the church was restored to view. And what a view it is! It is a magnificent building in downtown Montreal.

Interior

Historical photographs of St. James United Church

In this photograph you can see how the front of the church 
was lost to view when buildings housing stores were constructed;
these buildings have all now been demolished.

St. James Church was hidden behind these stores; they brought
in needed revenue but they were also an eye sore.

Restaurant Julien near Phillips Square

We used to enjoy Friday evenings in downtown Montreal. Sometimes we'd eat at Restaurant Julien on Union Avenue; it was a great place but is now closed. When there was a hockey game at the Bell Centre this place would be full of out-of-towners; now, due to Covid, there are no out-of-towners. . . BTW, Union Avenue was named after the union of Upper and Lower Canada in 1840; before that it was called Brunswick Avenue.

The people who worked at or owned Restaurant Julien should know that many of us enjoyed their restaurant and still miss going there.  

Photos taken in 2013.

Phillips Square at night; the Canada Cement Building is on the far right

We're on Union Avenue looking back at The Bay and Phillips Square;
that's the Canada Cement Building on the right

I can see that Union Avenue isn't the greatest for foot traffic at night, maybe another reason
Restaurant Julien went out of business... location

Restaurant Julien on Union Avenue

The bus on the right is a dedicated service to Habitat 67, the still innovative housing complex
constructed for Expo 67

Interior of Restaurant Julien