Nestled on the perimeter of the woods of Mount Royal in Montreal there is a prim and proper shopping avenue known as Laurier. The boutiques stand neatly side by side showcasing goodies that tickle the window-shopper’s sweet tooth — or in one store’s case, their beer tooth. At first blush, Super Marché Rahman looks like a slick convenience store, brightly lit and welcoming. Closer up, the words “Paradis de la bière” frame the entrance and describe the store’s true identity — a beer paradise! “The official name of the store is Super Marché Rahman, but the store is commonly known as Paradis de la bière,” explains owner Moshiqur Rahman.
He carries and sells more than 500 kinds of beer, ranging from the well-known makes such as Labatt, Molson, RJ, McAuslan, Boréale, Sleeman and Unibroue, to European classics like Krombacher, Grimbergen, Kronenbourg and Amstel, to American brands like Samuel Adams, Matilda and Sofie, to microbreweries of Quebec including Trou du Diable, Pit Caribou, Le Castor, Charlevoix, La Chouape, Le Naufrageur, Le Bilboquet, À La Fut and À L’Abri de la Tempête. “I love beer, and on the basis of that, I encourage Quebec breweries,” says Moshiqur.