SHERBROOKE: The Marché 5ième Saison (161 rue du Depot) can be found in the middle of the revitalization project in the historical borough of Bellevue, in the downtown Sherbrooke area, on the traditional rue du Depot. Marché 5ième Saison is situated near the historical Railway Station, to the north of the micro-brasserie “Siboire” and the Centre des arts de la scène Jean-Besré (Performing Arts Center). This sector, just a few years ago, was mostly abandoned, with devastated building frontages, destroyed by time and bad weather. Today, thanks to the many collective efforts in restoration, both public and private, the environmental and architectural ugliness of the past has given way to a certain charm, especially with the creation of murals like MURIRS “Hotel of Travellers”, on the walls of the co-ed residence of the University of Sherbrooke. This red brick-styled district has been embellished and has become more appealing and visited by a more diversified clientele of tourists, vacationers, students and customers of the micro-brasserie.

The arrival of the Marché 5ième Saison adds a note of exoticism and multiculturalism, in its fundamentally Colonial and Victorian decor, as Richard Milot underlines so well, in his book of 1986: “Sherbrooke of the XIXe century”. For Sami Dimassi, owner of the Marché 5ième Saison, a Québécois of Tunisian origin, the fact that he had studied administration in 2003 (Montreal) and, in 2008 at the University of Sherbrooke, facilitated the task for him, in his desire to open a fruit and vegetables business, within the downtown area of Sherbrooke. He, as a student over several years time, had been deprived of vegetables and fruits for lack of financial resources, seems to have achieved his dream “to offer customers fresh products at reasonable prices”, which he does for the widest number of cultural communities living in Sherbrooke to the entire population.

Based on the positive market research, the opening of the Marché 5ième Saison (2010) very quickly became a success, in spite of a difficult first three months… Today, its success grows dramatically from day to day; with three full-time employees and the moral support of the Tunisian community. The 5ième Saison is essentially that which, apart from the 4 normal seasons, offers, at any given time, types of vegetables and fresh imported fruits, which provide the informed consumer with exotic and oriental refinement on a daily basis at competitive prices.

I invite the consumer to discover this haven of tasty pleasures, newly renovated with an investment of almost $25,000, to provide more space, a tiled floor and more generous display areas. When one enters the establishment, you are greeted with a smile and traditional Tunisian music…Everything can be found: Indian eggplant and melons, Lebanese cucumbers, artichokes – oh so delicious, clementines, Moroccan dates and figs, extra-virgin olive oils from Tunisia or Morocco. A whole range of sweetened and salted products on racks, of Oriental flavours, long Afghan breads and Lesly Bagels… I also recommend the marvellous Tunisian cider vinegar for ‘a very ridiculous price’. Healthy products for any range of your wallet. Do not hesitate any further to visit this unique commerce…. Soon, one will be able to buy Arab fresh cheeses and, in the spring, beef, lamb and other meats at the new butcher shop which will be integrated into the existing shop.

Opening hours: Monday - Wednesday – 9a.m. - 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday – 9 a.m. – 9p.m., Saturdays and Sundays: 9a.m. - 7 p.m. (819-562-9106

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Photos by Myriam Sainson