The beginnings
It's Alfred Rouleau who makes it all happen. It's 1942, in the midst of the lingering Second World War. Alfred chose to resist the general gloom, and acquired a drinking establishment at 2112 Mont-Royal. Le Buffet Rouge became Le Buffet De Lorimier. A place where, to the sound of Le Soldat Lebrun or Duke Ellington, you could take your loved one for a drink or a filet mignon at a reasonable price (75¢). The reign of this pioneer lasted until the dawn of the seventies, when his son Yvon, a worthy successor, took over.
From 1960 to 1975
By the early 1960s, Yvon Rouleau had already started a family and was living a happy life in the Plateau Mont-Royal, a worthy working-class neighborhood of the time. With the help of his wife Lauréanne, whom he had met at Buffet De Lorimier, he helped keep his father's business running smoothly. In all, he devoted thirty years to the business, first as a waiter, then as owner in 1971. His untimely death sent shockwaves not only through his family, but also through the small community of local residents and Buffet De Lorimier regulars.
The Western era
Since Yvon's death, it is Lauréanne, accompanied by her son Pierre, who presides over the establishment's destiny. Different times, different customs. Little by little, the place became the place to be for fans of a musical trend that was very popular in the 1970s: Western music. During this period, many esteemed ambassadors of the genre would drop in to Buffet De Lorimier to present shows, much to the delight of fans of this type of variety.
Le Verre Bouteille
By the mid-1990s, things had changed on the Plateau Mont-Royal. Jukeboxes and the songs of Marcel Martel were no longer in vogue. This is the moment chosen by Lauréanne and Pierre to pass the torch. After giving so much of themselves to perpetuate the family heritage, they are handing over to two of the daughters of the house, Sylvie and Nathalie.
Taking into account the new reality of the neighborhood, the two sisters agree that the premises need to be upgraded. There will be a temporary closure (one month), the time to update the décor, while preserving the authenticity and history of the place. We also want to present shows, but this time, it will be to make way for representatives of modern Quebecois chanson. With a new approach and new customers, the place was reborn under a new name.
On June 19, 1996, Le Buffet De Lorimier became Le Verre Bouteille. 2112 du Mont-Royal was a hotbed of activity, and many hard-working people were involved, including Patrice Johnson and René Flageole, two newcomers to the neighborhood in the early days of Le Verre Bouteille. The former was instrumental in renewing the clientele, the latter in bringing many local and international singing talents to the stage of the little bar-show.
To this day, Sylvie and Nathalie, aided by their faithful accomplices, have succeeded not only in maintaining the quality standards set by the patriarch and his successors, but also in placing Le Verre Bouteille among the leading venues supporting the Montreal music scene.
From June 1st 2018 to today
As of June 1, 2018, three new owners arrived.Nathalie and Sylvie Rouleau having decided to pass the torch, they then decided to give the reins of the bar to Pascal Plante, Patrice Johnson and Jake Warren. While retaining the essence and soul of Le Verre Bouteille, the three new owners decided to present more musical shows, up to five per week.