Fripe-Prix Renaissance Côte-des-Neiges

I donate all our stuffs that could be reused to this store since I know its benefits will go back to the community, such as community job training programs. All the items are sold on very low price. I visit the store almost once a week while I go shopping at Plaza Cotes-des-Neiges. There are many section, such as clothes, shoes, toys, utensils, decorations, electronics, bags, just naming a few of them. However, my favorite is the used books section. The prices are $1.75, $2.75 or $3.75 for each. I have bought quite a few interesting books to enrich my personal library.

The concept is to provide affordable prices for poor people , somehow it’s becoming a trading center and aiming to grow high level of profits, their average prices became too expensive for their main purpose, however you can still find good catches that you may not find elsewhere

Cheap prices for a wide variety of clothes and accessories, really good around Halloween and other thematic holidays! Well organized and not too crowded, they have around 10 cabins to try so there's no big line up (went on a Saturday early afternoon).

Various items in cheap price.. good store for who looking for specially used items with low budget..

Update March 28th, 2022: found a kanuk jacket for 200$ at the boutique area. The prices are ridiculous at this Renaissance. Even a winter coat that used a paper clip to zip it up was 55$. I pray that the people who are desperate for a coat do not buy it and will get one under 20$, the right prices Renaissance used to have. Update Dec. 9th, 2021: I got a generic response in French from Renaissance, not even apologizing for the over pricing, or atleast saying that they could talk to the people in charge of this store to fix the poorly managed situation it is in. I visited Renaissance again, and (pictured below), I found a top priced at 7.00$, and its original price tag (possibly a garage sale) is 3$. The workers clearly don't check the things that are being donated, and I hope that the clients double check the goods before purchase to make sure they are not getting ripped off. Goodwill/Renaissance has got out of control with their pricing. I found this blazer, pictured below, on December 3rd. It is priced at 100$, just because it is a designer piece. I also had found a old fashioned Kanuk coat, that was priced at 350$. Neither piece was brand new. I was unable to take a picture of the Kanuk coat, as it was behind the cash register. Renaissance has stopped being a thrift store, as the majority of the goods are priced at Ebay prices, or are discounted slightly from their original price. Do be careful, sometimes the items are even more expensive than buying them brand new or directly from where they were originally sold at. I've even seen dollarama goods with the dollarama pricing still on, that were cheaper than Renaissance. This shows that the workers aren't even doing a good job in the first place. This company already makes so much money asking for a donation every time you purchase, which just goes back to the company. This company is supposed to be helping the poor, but it just seems like they want to keep the people poor.

Great assortment of goods, specially toys and clothes. I am a crafts enthusiast and always find something useful.

I thought the store was nice, laid back and some days had a good selection until my latest experience, which was demeaning and I walked out never trying on what I intended to try on. When I was going to try something on which would be the second time using change room, the first time there was no problem having my bag with me but second time one of the ladies started to go on and on making me feel super stigmatized as if I was going to run out the door with other people's throw aways. (You can go to Winners and try things on without being treated like that and it is actually fun to shop there.)The other lady seemed to be arguing with her, mostly in very fast French. It felt a bit scary and humiliating since I was technicaly alone in the change room area where it could have turned out to be their word against my word, wasting my time as if it was nothing and neither of them appeared to be social distancing in the limited space available even though there are many social distancing signs posted in this mall. Fine if you want people to check in bags put a clear and visible sign up at entrance and enforce the policy for everyone not just a select few so they possibly feel demeaned while shopping at this non profit second hand store where some of the clothes are a lot more than just gently worn. When some people are allowed bags and other people appear to be targeted for extra scrutiny that could feel harsh and rough, they are going to be made to feel like they are being treated differently than other people and in a sense excluded by possible manufactured circumstance, then it could feel like discrimination and could hurt the way possible discrimination usually does. Will I be back? Don't know. I don't like the idea that I have to line up just to get my bag back while others are allowed to carry theirs around the store. I also discovered that some brand new tee shirts seem to be cheaper at Old Navy than 2nd hand tee shirts are at this store. Some days there is nothing there that I want to buy and it feels like trip was a waste of time and other days there are some nice things to buy. Sad they appear to act as if it is okay to inconvenience and emberrass some while leaving others alone to shop carrying their bags in peace, especially when their ads on TV seem to emphasize inclusion.

The checkout line is always long (like with any renaissance to be fair), but the store is well organized and mostly well kept and clean. Would love to see a section for small furniture pieces one day.