Chez Aicha

I really believe that living well does not have to stay in the domains of the rich and privileged, that everyone, regardless of income bracket and means, deserve to enjoy the same sorts of small pleasures which makes life happier for everyone, be it the pleasures of drinking from crystal wine glasses, sipping tea from fine-​bone China teacups, or preparing a meal for family or friends on cookware which can last literally for generations.
That said, I found myself in Ville Emard for my weekly acupuncture sessions a little early for my appointment and so decided to wander the neighborhood a little and I’m so glad I did. Internet and social media hype and publicity are nice and dandy but I find that sometimes the old-​fashioned way of doing things, like taking the time to walk around a little, more often than not, affords you to find those little gem of places which you otherwise would never hear of or know about.
Gentrification has not hit this part of «le Sud-​Ouest» yet, like it has in Saint Henri, Pointe St. Charles and Verdun. It’s still a few years away so there’s still a feel of a sleepy, quiet local neighborhood here even if it is on the metro line and that veritable institution Dilallo Burger is literally around the corner.
So it was with surprise and delight I found myself stepping into Chez Aicha yesterday afternoon. The owner, the very warm and welcoming Ferida Marzouki, is someone who follows my own heart. «Just because some people may not have the money, does not mean that they don’t have good taste. I price my items here so anyone can afford it and use them and have been here for 30 years already. I don’t understand why people buy beautiful things and never use them. You get so much joy from putting them to good use.»
And what taste she has!
I saw vintage tableware from the 1930s which a shop in the Mile End (which shall remain nameless) was trying to sell off at triple the price which Ferida offered. Ruby red and Cobalt blue glassware from before the Depression abounded everywhere. I saw many, many fine-​bone China tea-​sets in near-​perfect condition. As Ferida explained to me, she often buys from estate sales and usually she still finds them never-​used sitting wrapped in plastic on display cases no one looks at. There was also vintage silverware, cookware, kitchenware which a little love, elbow-​grease and watching a few how-​to videos on YouTube can easily bring back to it’s former glory.
One of the reason why I prefer buying vintage is that the quality just isn’t there these days anymore. Companies now follow «planned obsolescence» meaning you may have a guarantee for 1 or 2 years for something new you buy after which point, things will probably break down, forcing you to buy something new all over again. That’s how they make money and force you to be a repeat customer. Compare this to say items from the 1920s through to the mid 1970s. Items usually came with a life-​time guarantee, they were practically indestructible. You bought something once and never had to think about it again.
I’ll definitely become a repeat customer here. I just wish there were more stores around like this and more shop-​owners with Ferida’s outlook.